Word
Şimşek çakıyor.
Meaning
Lightning is flashing.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
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Questions & Answers about Şimşek çakıyor.
What exactly is the verb form çakıyor, and what does it imply here?
It’s the 3rd-person singular present continuous of çakmak. In the fixed weather collocation şimşek çakmak, it means lightning is flashing/striking right now (an ongoing phenomenon).
How is çakıyor formed morphologically?
- Verb stem: çak-
- Present continuous suffix: -Iyor, realized as -ıyor by vowel harmony (because the last stem vowel is a)
- Person: 3rd singular has no extra ending beyond -yor So: çak- + ıyor → çakıyor.
Why is the present continuous -yor used for weather?
Turkish commonly uses -yor to describe weather that is happening at the moment: Yağmur yağıyor, Rüzgâr esiyor, Şimşek çakıyor. It focuses on the ongoing process rather than a general truth.
Can I use the aorist for a general statement, like Şimşek çakar?
Yes. Şimşek çakar expresses a general or habitual truth (lightning flashes, in general), not what’s happening right now. For current conditions, Şimşek çakıyor is preferred.
What’s the difference between and ?