Question 1

What does the "-ıp duruyor" in çalıp duruyor mean? Does durmak still mean “to stand”?

Accepted Answer

In this pattern, -ıp/-ip/-up/-üp + durmak is aspectual and means “to keep on doing X” or “to do X repeatedly/continually,” often with a nuance of mild annoyance. Here durmak does not mean “to stand/stop”; it functions like an auxiliary marking persistence. So çalıp duruyor ≈ “it keeps ringing.”

Question 2

Why is there a -p after çal-? What is that suffix?

Accepted Answer

The -p is the converb -Ip (harmonizing as -ıp/-ip/-up/-üp). It links the main verb to an auxiliary like durmak to create this “keep doing” meaning: çal-ıp dur-uyor. You can use it with many verbs:
- konuşup duruyor = keeps talking
- sorup duruyor = keeps asking
- bağırıp durma! = stop shouting all the time!

Question 3

Could I just say Telefonum çalıyor? What’s the difference from Telefonum çalıp duruyor?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  
- Telefonum çalıyor: a simple statement that it’s ringing now.  
- Telefonum çalıp duruyor: it keeps ringing again and again, often implying it’s getting annoying or won’t let up.

Question 4

Is çalıp duruyor negative or rude?

Accepted Answer

Not rude, but it can carry a mild exasperated tone. It emphasizes persistence/repetition, which often implies the speaker finds it bothersome.

Question 5

Does çalmak really mean “to steal”? Why is it used here?

Accepted Answer

Çalmak is polysemous. It can mean:
- “to steal”: Paramı çaldılar (They stole my money).
- “to ring” (phone, bell, alarm): Telefon çalıyor (The phone is ringing).
- “to play” (an instrument): Gitar çalıyorum (I play the guitar).
- “to knock” (colloquial): Kapıyı çaldı (He/She knocked on the door).
Context picks the meaning.

Question 6

Why is there no object after açmayacağım? Shouldn’t it be telefonu açmayacağım or onu açmayacağım?

Accepted Answer

Turkish drops objects when they’re obvious from context. Since the phone is ringing, açmayacağım clearly means “I won’t pick up (answer it).” You may add the object for clarity:
- Telefonu açmayacağım = I won’t answer the phone.
Colloquial alternatives for answering:
- Telefona bakmayacağım (I won’t pick up).
- Telefona cevap vermeyeceğim (I won’t answer).
Note: Telefonu açmak can also mean “to turn on the phone,” but in a ringing context it means “to answer.”

Question 7

How is açmayacağım formed, and how do I pronounce it?

Accepted Answer

Morphology: aç-ma-y-acağ-ım  
- aç- (open) + -ma (negation) + buffer -y- + -AcAk (future) + -Im (1st sg).  
Spelling follows vowel harmony: açmayacağım (not “açmıyacağım”).  
Pronunciation: the ğ lengthens the preceding vowel; roughly “ach-ma-ya-jaam” (IPA: [at͡ʃmaˈjɑd͡ʒaːm]).

Question 8

What exactly does toplantı bitmeden mean?

Accepted Answer

-meden/-madan is a converb meaning “without ~ing / before ~ happens.”  
- toplantı bitmeden = “before the meeting ends.”  
Examples:
- Eve gitmeden (before/without going home)
- Yemek yemeden (without eating)

Question 9

Can I say toplantı bitmeden önce? Any difference?

Accepted Answer

Yes. -meden önce is the fully explicit form of “before.” Using -meden alone is common and idiomatic when the “before” meaning is clear from context. Both are correct here; -meden önce can feel a touch more explicit.

Question 10

What about toplantı bitene kadar or toplantı bitinceye kadar? Are they the same as bitmeden?

Accepted Answer

They mean “until the meeting ends.”  
- bitmeden frames it as “not before the end happens,”  
- bitene (bitinceye) kadar highlights the stretch of time up to that endpoint.  
In this sentence, they’re functionally equivalent: you won’t answer until it’s over.

Question 11

Why not use bitince instead, as in Toplantı bitince açacağım?

Accepted Answer

You can. -ince/-ınca means “when/once.”  
- Toplantı bitince açacağım = once it’s over, I’ll answer (positive framing).  
- Toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım = I won’t answer before it’s over (negative framing).  
Same end result, different emphasis.

Question 12

Do I need to say Ben? What changes if I say Ben … açmayacağım?

Accepted Answer

You don’t need Ben; -ım on the verb already shows 1st person singular. Adding Ben adds emphasis/contrast: “I (for my part) won’t…”

Question 13

Can I move toplantı bitmeden around? What word order sounds natural?

Accepted Answer

Adverbial time clauses are flexible, but most natural before the verb they modify:
- Toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım (very natural).
- Açmayacağım toplantı bitmeden (possible but marked/less natural).
Keeping it before açmayacağım is best.

Question 14

Why is there a comma before ama? Could it start a new sentence?

Accepted Answer

Both are fine in Turkish. You can write:
- Telefonum çalıp duruyor, ama …
- Telefonum çalıp duruyor. Ama …  
Using a comma is common when connecting two clauses with ama.

Question 15

Can I use durmak with other verbs the same way?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The pattern is productive:
- yazıp duruyor (keeps writing)
- arayıp duruyor (keeps calling)
- şikâyet edip duruyor (keeps complaining)
- unutup duruyorum (I keep forgetting)

Question 16

Is there a difference between çalıp duruyor and çalmaya devam ediyor?

Accepted Answer

Both express ongoing repetition, but:
- çalmaya devam ediyor is more neutral (“continues to ring”).
- çalıp duruyor often implies you find it persistent/annoying (“it keeps ringing and won’t stop”).

Question 17

Do I need benim in Telefonum? What about Benim telefonum?

Accepted Answer

Telefonum already marks possession with -um (“my”). Benim telefonum adds emphasis or contrast (“my phone, not someone else’s”). Both are correct.

Telefonum çalıp duruyor, ama toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım.

Breakdown of Telefonum çalıp duruyor, ama toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım.

Questions & Answers about Telefonum çalıp duruyor, ama toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım.

More from this lesson

Master Turkish — from Telefonum çalıp duruyor, ama toplantı bitmeden açmayacağım to fluency