Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sen içerideyken ben marketten erzak aldım. - While you were inside, I bought supplies from the market.

Because iken attaches with a buffer y after a vowel: içeride + y + ken → içerideyken. After a consonant, there’s no buffer: e.g., çocukken (“when I was a child”).

Can I write it as two words, içeride iken?

Yes, it’s possible and more formal/literary. In everyday writing it’s usually one word: içerideyken.

Why is the locative -de used in içeride?

-de/-da marks location (“at/in/on”). içeri means “inside/indoors (to the inside)” and with -de it becomes the state “inside/indoors” (içeride). Since -iken describes a state, you say “while inside” → içerideyken, not the directional içeri.

What’s the difference between içeride and içeri?

içeride = “inside” (state/location).
içeri = “inside/indoors” with a sense of direction or movement (often used with motion verbs like “go in,” “enter”).

Do I need both pronouns sen and ben?

Not strictly. You could say: Sen içerideyken marketten erzak aldım. Pronouns are added for clarity/emphasis, especially because the subjects differ between clauses.

Why is it marketten and not markete?

Because almak (“to buy/take”) in the sense of “buy from” uses the ablative (source) case: X’ten Y almak = “to buy Y from X.” So “from the market” is marketten. markete (dative/to) would mean “to the market.”

Why specifically -ten (not -den) in marketten?

The ablative -den/-dan/-ten/-tan assimilates to the last consonant of the noun. After a voiceless consonant like t in market, you use the voiceless form -ten.

Why doesn’t erzak take the accusative (-ı/-i)? Shouldn’t it be erzakı?

Turkish marks the direct object with accusative only when it’s specific/definite. erzak aldım = “I bought (some) supplies” (indefinite). If you mean specific supplies, you’d use a definite form, typically plural: erzakları aldım = “I bought the supplies.” The singular definite erzakı is rarely used because erzak is a collective/mass noun.

Does almak here definitely mean “to buy,” or could it mean “to take”?

With a place in the ablative (marketten) plus a purchasable item, almak is naturally understood as “to buy.” If you want to be explicit or formal, use satın almak.

Is the comma after the first clause required: “Sen içerideyken, ben…”?

It’s optional but common to place a comma after an initial adverbial clause for clarity: Sen içerideyken, ben…

Can I change the word order?

Yes. Turkish is flexible:

Sen içerideyken ben marketten erzak aldım. (neutral)
Sen içerideyken marketten erzak aldım. (omit ben)
Ben, sen içerideyken, marketten erzak aldım. (emphasis on ben)
Marketten erzak aldım sen içerideyken. (end-focus on the time clause)

What tense is implied in içerideyken? There’s no verb there.

-ken clauses are tenseless; their time is inferred from context. Here, aldım (simple past) sets the timeframe, so it means “while you were inside.” You can pair -ken with other tenses too, e.g., Sen içerideyken arıyorum = “While you’re inside, I’m calling.”

How does -yken compare to -ince/-ınca or -DIĞINDA?

-yken/-ken: “while/during (a state or ongoing action).” → Sen içerideyken (“while you were inside”).
-ince/-ınca: “when/upon (something happens).” → Sen içeri girince (“when you go/once you went inside”).
-DIĞINDA: also “when,” built from a participle plus possessive + locative. → Sen içeri girdiğinde (colloquial often drops the genitive), more formal: Senin içeri girdiğinde.

Could I say this with a full finite verb instead of -ken?

Yes, e.g., Sen içerideydin, ben (de) marketten erzak aldım. That’s two coordinated finite clauses (“You were inside; I bought supplies”), slightly less tightly linked than the -ken construction.

Is içerdeyken also correct spelling?

Yes. Both içeride and içerde are accepted variants. So içerideyken and içerdeyken are both correct; içeride is often considered a bit more standard in writing.

What exactly does erzak mean? Is it the same as “groceries”?

erzak means “provisions/supplies,” often staples or longer-lasting items (rice, flour, canned goods), and is common in contexts like stocking up or emergency supplies. For everyday groceries, people also say alışveriş (shopping), gıda (foodstuffs), or name specific items. A very natural everyday sentence is: Marketten alışveriş yaptım (“I did the shopping at the market/supermarket”).

Is market the same as “market” in English?

In Turkish, market usually means a supermarket/grocery store. Other options:

bakkal: small neighborhood convenience store.
pazar: open-air market/bazaar.

Can you break the sentence down morphologically?

Sen = you (sg., informal)
içeride-yken = inside-while
ben = I
market-ten = market-ABL (from the market)
erzak = supplies/provisions
al-dı-m = take/buy-PAST-1SG → “I bought”

Could I add a quantity word like “some”?

Yes: Biraz erzak aldım (“I bought some supplies”) or specify items: Marketten un ve yağ aldım (“I bought flour and oil from the market”).

What if I want to be polite or formal to the listener?

Use siz: Siz içerideyken ben marketten erzak aldım. The verb in the main clause already shows first person, so only the subject of the -ken clause changes.