Learn Hardcore Turkish: Rastgele karar verince zaman kaybediyoruz, o yüzden plan yapalım. - When we decide at random, we lose time, so let’s make a plan.

The suffix -ince/-ınca/-ünce/-unca makes an adverbial clause meaning “when/once/whenever.” It attaches to the verb stem: ver- + -ince → verince (“when [we/one/they] give/decide”). It doesn’t carry person or tense by itself; the subject is understood from context, and the timing is relative to the main clause. Negative is -mayınca (e.g., vermeyince “when [someone] doesn’t give/decide”).

How do we know who is doing the deciding in karar verince?

-ince doesn’t mark person. Here, the subject is inferred from the main clause (kaybediyoruz = “we are losing”), so karar verince = “when we decide.” If you want a different subject, you specify it: Ali rastgele karar verince biz zaman kaybediyoruz (“When Ali decides randomly, we lose time”).

Why is it karar vermek for “to decide”? Is there a difference from karar almak?

Turkish often uses “light verb” constructions. Karar vermek and karar almak both can mean “to decide.” Nuance: karar vermek is very common for an individual reaching a decision; karar almak is frequent in formal/collective contexts (committees, meetings): Toplantıda önemli bir karar aldık. In everyday speech, they often overlap.

Is rastgele the best word for “randomly”? How does it differ from tesadüfen and gelişigüzel?

rastgele: haphazardly, without plan; suitable for decisions made without thought.
tesadüfen: by chance/accident (unintentionally).
gelişigüzel: slapdash, without care or order, often with a hint of sloppiness. So rastgele karar vermek is natural here. Tesadüfen would imply “by coincidence,” which is different.

Can the word order be changed, like kararları rastgele verince?

Yes. Possible variants:

Rastgele karar verince… (adverb before the verb phrase)
Kararları rastgele verince… (explicit plural object)
Kararları rastgele verdiğimizde… (“when we give/decide,” more explicit) All are grammatical; choose based on whether you want to stress the decisions themselves (kararları) or the manner (rastgele).

Why is it kaybediyoruz (present continuous) and not kaybederiz (aorist)? Are both correct?

Both work, with nuance:

kaybediyoruz: “we (are) losing” — can describe a current/typical situation; conversational.
kaybederiz: “we lose (habitually)” — more general or rule-like statement. Your sentence reads like a practical observation; -yor feels natural. To sound more proverbial, use kaybederiz.

Why doesn’t zaman take the accusative (zamanı)?

As a general, indefinite object (“time” in general), zaman stays bare. The accusative -ı marks a specific/definite object. Zamanı kaybediyoruz would mean “we are losing the time (that specific time),” which is unusual here.

Can I use vakit kaybediyoruz instead of zaman kaybediyoruz?

Yes. Vakit ≈ “time (available/usable time).” Vakit kaybetmek is very common and maybe a touch more colloquial. Zaman is broader; both are fine here.

What exactly does o yüzden mean? Is it different from bu yüzden?

Both mean “so/therefore/that’s why.” O yüzden literally “for that reason,” often pointing back to what was just said. Bu yüzden “for this reason,” but in practice they’re largely interchangeable. O yüzden can feel slightly more conversational.

Is the comma before o yüzden necessary?

Not strictly required, but it’s common and improves readability: cause clause, then a pause, then the result (… kaybediyoruz, o yüzden …). You can also split it into two sentences: … kaybediyoruz. O yüzden …

What tense/mood is yapalım, and what does it express?

Yapalım is the 1st person plural optative/imperative: “let’s do/make.” Form: stem + -alım/-elim (vowel harmony). Negative: yapmayalım (“let’s not”). Polite suggestion: Yapalım mı? (“Shall we?”).

Why say plan yapalım instead of planlayalım?

Both are fine:

plan yapalım: neutral, very common (“let’s make a plan”).
planlayalım: the simple verb “to plan”; sounds a bit more formal or often takes an object: Tatilimizi planlayalım (“Let’s plan our vacation”). You could also say Bir plan yapalım to emphasize “a plan.”

Could I replace o yüzden with other connectors?

Yes: bu yüzden, bu nedenle, bu sebeple, dolayısıyla, o yüzden de (adds a soft “also/then”). All mean “so/therefore,” with minor register differences.

How would it look with a conditional instead of -ince?

Rastgele karar verirsek zaman kaybederiz, bu yüzden plan yapalım. Here -irsek means “if/when.” Using kaybederiz fits the conditional’s generalizing tone.

Is verince the same as verdiğimizde?

They’re near-equivalents for “when we give/decide.” verince is shorter and conversational. verdiğimizde = ver- + -diğ- (participle) + -imiz (our) + -de (when/at): “at the time that we give/decide,” slightly more explicit/formal: Karar verdiğimizde zaman kaybederiz.

But doesn’t vermek mean “to give”? How is it “decide” here?

In karar vermek, vermek is part of a fixed expression meaning “to decide” (literally “to give a decision”). Context fixes the meaning: karar vermek = decide, not “give.” Without karar, vermek is the ordinary “to give.”

Why is it kaybediyoruz and not kaybetiyoruz?

Consonant voicing before -iyor: kaybet- + -iyor → kaybediyor-, just like git- + -iyor → gidiyor. So “we are losing” is kaybediyoruz.

Can I start the second clause with O yüzden as a new sentence?

Yes: Rastgele karar verince zaman kaybediyoruz. O yüzden plan yapalım. That’s very natural in writing and speech.

How do I say “when we don’t decide carefully, we lose time”?

Negate the -ince clause: Dikkatli karar vermeyince zaman kaybediyoruz. Alternatively with conditional: Dikkatli karar vermezsek zaman kaybederiz.

Is there a more formal version of the whole sentence?

Yes: Rastgele kararlar verildiğinde zaman kaybediliyor; bu nedenle plan yapalım/yapmalıyız. Using passives or -dığında raises the register. You can swap yapalım for yapmalıyız (“we should make”) for a stronger recommendation.