Learn Hardcore Turkish: Şimşek çakıyor.

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 şimşek and yıldırım?

şimşek: the flash of lightning in the sky (visual phenomenon)
yıldırım: a lightning bolt that strikes, typically hitting the ground or an object
Typical collocations: şimşek çakıyor vs yıldırım düşüyor. They’re sometimes mixed colloquially, but these pairings sound most natural.

Why is şimşek singular? Can I say Şimşekler çakıyor?

The singular treats lightning as a mass phenomenon. Şimşekler çakıyor is also heard and emphasizes multiple flashes. Both are acceptable; the singular is the default.

Could I say Şimşek var to mean there is lightning?

It’s understandable but not the most natural choice. Turkish prefers the verb collocation Şimşek çakıyor. Similarly, speakers say Yağmur yağıyor, not Yağmur var, when describing ongoing rain.

How do I say it just flashed or it will flash?

Just flashed: Şimşek çaktı.
Will flash/there will be lightning: Şimşek çakacak.
For immediate past emphasis: Az önce şimşek çaktı.

How do I make it negative or ask a yes–no question?

Negative: Şimşek çakmıyor.
Yes–no question: Şimşek çakıyor mu?
You can combine them: Şimşek çakmıyor mu?

Can I combine it with thunder?

Yes: Şimşek çakıyor ve gök gürlüyor.
Note: gök gürlüyor (the sky is rumbling) is how you say it’s thundering.

Is çakmak transitive here? It takes objects in other uses.

In this weather use it’s intransitive: şimşek is the subject and there is no object. In other meanings, çakmak is transitive, e.g., çivi çakmak (to drive a nail), kibrit çakmak (to strike a match).

How do I conjugate the sentence with different subjects?

Ben: Şimşek çakıyorum (rare, unless metaphorical; usually you don’t change the subject for weather)
Sen: Şimşek çakıyorsun (same note)
O: Şimşek çakıyor
Biz: Şimşek çakıyoruz
Siz: Şimşek çakıyorsunuz
Onlar: Şimşek çakıyor(lar)
In practice, weather expressions nearly always use 3rd person.

How do I pronounce the tricky letters?

ş = sh in ship
ç = ch in church
ı (undotted i) = a back, unrounded vowel (like the vowel in Turkish kız), not like English i
-yor is pronounced roughly as yor.
Overall: Şimşek çakıyor ≈ shim-SHEK cha-KUH-yor.

Where does the stress fall?

In şimşek, stress is on the last syllable: şim-ŞEK.
In çakıyor, with -yor tenses the main stress typically falls on the syllable before -yor: ÇA-kı-yor.

Can I add time or place words, and where do they go?

Yes. Place/time adverbs typically come before the verb:

Dışarıda şimşek çakıyor.
Şu anda şimşek çakıyor.
Bu gece şimşek çakacak.

Is there a formal or report style alternative?

Weather reports sometimes use -mAktA or -mAktAdır:

Şimşek çakmakta.
Şimşek çakmaktadır.
These sound formal or report-like compared to everyday Şimşek çakıyor.