Learn Hardcore Turkish: Berbere uğrayınca randevu alıyorum. - When I stop by the barber, I make an appointment.

Because uğramak (to stop by/drop in) takes the dative case (-e/-a) for the place you stop by. Think of the pattern as X‑e uğramak = to stop by X.

Examples: Markete uğrayınca…, Arkadaşıma uğradım.

Could I say berberi instead?

No. Berberi is accusative (direct object), but uğramak is intransitive and does not take a direct object. You need the dative: berbere. Bare berber without a case ending would be ungrammatical here.

What does the suffix -(y)ınca in uğrayınca mean?

It forms a temporal adverbial clause meaning when/whenever. Morphology here is:

uğra- (verb stem) + -y- (buffer consonant) + -ınca (when/whenever) → uğrayınca.

Why is it -ınca (not -ince, -unca, etc.) and why is there a y?

Vowel harmony: -(I)nca has four forms: -ınca/-ince/-unca/-ünce. You choose by the last vowel of the stem. The last vowel in uğra- is a (back, unrounded), so you get -ınca → uğra‑y‑ınca.
Buffer y: The stem ends in a vowel (uğra-) and the suffix begins with a vowel, so Turkish inserts y to avoid a vowel clash.

Does -(y)ınca itself carry tense?

No. The tense comes from the main clause. -(y)ınca can pair with past, present, or future in the main verb:

…uğrayınca randevu aldım. (When I stopped by, I got…)
…uğrayınca randevu alıyorum. (When/whenever I stop by, I get…)
…uğrayınca randevu alacağım. (When I stop by, I will get…)

Why is the main verb alıyorum (present continuous) instead of the aorist alırım?

Both are possible but with a nuance:

alırım (aorist) = neutral, generic habit or rule.
alıyorum (-yor) = in conversation often used for current/regular practice within a time frame, sounding a bit more immediate or personal. So: Berbere uğrayınca randevu alırım and …alıyorum are both fine; the latter feels more colloquial/ongoing.

Does the when-clause have to come first?

No. Turkish is flexible with adverbial clauses. The default is to put the time clause first, but you can also say:

Randevu alıyorum berbere uğrayınca. Fronting the when-clause (Berbere uğrayınca…) is the most natural, as it sets the time frame up front.

Why doesn’t randevu have the accusative -yu?

Because it’s an indefinite object (you’re not talking about a specific, previously known appointment). Indefinite direct objects are unmarked:

Indefinite: Randevu alıyorum.
Definite/specific: Randevuyu alıyorum. (that particular appointment)

Is randevu almak the standard way to say make an appointment?

Yes. Common collocations:

Most neutral: randevu almak
Also common: randevu ayarlamak
In online/official contexts: randevu oluşturmak
At some places (barber, clinic): randevu yazdırmak (put your name down) Avoid randevu yapmak; it sounds odd to natives.

What nuance does uğramak have compared with gitmek or ziyaret etmek?

uğramak = to stop by briefly, often on the way.
gitmek = to go (neutral, no implication of brevity).
ziyaret etmek = to visit (full/intentional visit, often longer or more formal). So berbere uğramak suggests a quick drop‑in.

How do I say if I stop by rather than when I stop by?

Use the conditional on the verb: Berbere uğrarsam randevu alırım/alacağım.

How do I say as soon as I stop by?

Use the fixed pattern -(y)ar -(y)maz:

Berbere uğrar uğramaz randevu alırım/alacağım. You can also say: Berbere uğradığım gibi…

What if the subject of the when-clause is different from the main clause?

You can keep -(y)ınca and state the different subject overtly:

Sen berbere uğrayınca ben randevu alıyorum. Alternatively, use the -dığında/-diğinde construction, which explicitly marks the subject in genitive:
Senin berbere uğradığında ben randevu alıyorum.

Any pronunciation tips for uğrayınca and berbere?

ğ does not make a hard sound; it lengthens the preceding vowel. In uğra‑, the u is lengthened and the transition into r is smooth.
ı (undotted i) is a back, unrounded vowel, like the sound in English roses’ second syllable; in uğrayınca it’s the -yın- part.
c is like English j in jam. Approximate: uğrayınca ≈ oo-rah-yuhn-jah; berbere ≈ behr-beh-reh.