Learn Hardcore Turkish: Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum. - I want to be able to speak openly with you.

Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.

I want to be able to speak openly with you.

Breakdown of Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.

Elon.io is an online learning platform

We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Turkish now

Questions & Answers about Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.

Why do we say “Ben” here? Isn’t the subject already clear from “istiyorum”?

In Turkish, the subject is indeed clear from the verb ending:

istiyorum = iste- (to want) + -yor (progressive) + -um (I) → “I want”

So “Ben” is not grammatically necessary. You could simply say:

Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.
= I want to be able to speak openly with you.

We usually add “Ben”:

for emphasis (“I” want… as opposed to someone else), or
for clarity in longer or more complex sentences.

So here “Ben” is optional and slightly emphasizes the subject “I”.

What exactly does “seninle” mean, and how is it formed? Why not just “senle”?

“Seninle” means “with you” (singular, informal).

It’s formed from the pronoun sen (you) in its genitive form + ile (with):

ben → benimle (with me)
sen → seninle (with you)
o → onunla (with him/her/it)

Over time, senin + ile → seninle (written as one word).

You do also hear:

senle in speech (a shortened, very colloquial form)

So:

seninle – standard, neutral
senle – more casual/colloquial
sen ile – more separated/spelled-out form, can feel a bit more formal or written

In normal standard speech and writing, “seninle” is the safest and most natural choice.

Why does Turkish use “-le / -la” attached to the word (as in “seninle”) instead of a separate word like “with”?

Turkish often uses suffixes instead of separate prepositions.
“ile” means “with”, and it commonly attaches to the preceding word as -le / -la:

kitap + ile → kitapla (with the book)
arkadaş + ile → arkadaşla (with the friend)

For personal pronouns, ile has special fused forms:

benim + ile → benimle
senin + ile → seninle
onun + ile → onunla

So “seninle” literally is “you-with,” functioning just like “with you” in English.

What does the “-ebilmek” part in “konuşabilmek” mean?

“-ebilmek” is a modal suffix that usually expresses:

ability / possibility (“can”)
sometimes permission or opportunity

konuşabilmek = konuş (speak) + -a- (vowel for harmony) + bil (can) + -mek (infinitive)
→ “to be able to speak / to be able to talk”

So:

konuşmak = to speak
konuşabilmek = to be able to speak

In your sentence:

konuşabilmek istiyorum = I want to be able to speak

What is the difference between “konuşmak istiyorum” and “konuşabilmek istiyorum”?

Both are correct but not identical in meaning:

Seninle açıkça konuşmak istiyorum.
= I want to speak openly with you.
(Just the desire to speak.)
Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.
= I want to be able to speak openly with you.
(I want to have the possibility / ability to speak openly with you.)

The “-ebilmek” version implies some kind of obstacle or difficulty:

maybe you don’t feel comfortable yet,
maybe the situation doesn’t allow full honesty, etc.

So “konuşmak istiyorum” is more neutral;
“konuşabilmek istiyorum” hints at wanting the freedom or ability to do it.

Why does “konuşabilmek” end with “-mek”?

“-mek / -mak” is the infinitive ending in Turkish, similar to English “to …”:

görmek – to see
yapmak – to do
konuşmak – to speak
konuşabilmek – to be able to speak

When istemek (“to want”) is followed by another verb, that verb is normally in the infinitive:

Gitmek istiyorum. – I want to go.
Seni görmek istiyorum. – I want to see you.
Seninle konuşabilmek istiyorum. – I want to be able to speak with you.

So “-mek” shows that konuşabilmek is in the infinitive form.

Why is “açıkça” placed before “konuşabilmek”? Could it go anywhere else?

“Açıkça” is an adverb (“openly, frankly, clearly”), and in Turkish, adverbs usually come just before the verb (or the verbal group):

açıkça konuşmak – to speak openly
yavaşça yürümek – to walk slowly

In your sentence, the natural place is:

seninle açıkça konuşabilmek

Other placements:

Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum. – most natural.
Ben açıkça seninle konuşabilmek istiyorum. – still OK, slightly different emphasis.
Ben seninle konuşabilmek açıkça istiyorum. – unnatural/wrong; adverb is too far from the verb.

So keep “açıkça” right in front of the verb phrase it modifies: konuşabilmek.

What is the difference between “açık” and “açıkça”?

açık is an adjective: open, clear.
- açık kapı – an open door
- açık sözlü – frank, outspoken (literally “open-worded”)
açıkça is an adverb, made by adding -ça / -çe:
- açıkça – openly, plainly, frankly
- doğru (correct) → doğruça (rare)
- yavaş (slow) → yavaşça (slowly, gently)

So in “açıkça konuşabilmek”, you need the adverb form, because it describes how you speak: openly/frankly.

Why is “istiyorum” in the present continuous form instead of a simple present like “isterim”?

Morphologically, istiyorum is:

iste- (want) + -iyor (present continuous) + -um (I)
→ I am wanting (literally), but it’s used as “I want” in practice.

In modern Turkish:

istiyorum is the normal, neutral way to say “I want (now / in general).”
isterim (aorist) is less common and sounds:
- more formal, or
- like a general tendency/habit, or
- like a polite offer or suggestion, e.g.
  - Bir kahve isterim. – I’d (quite) like a coffee. / I would have a coffee.

So:

Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum. – natural, everyday Turkish.
Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek isterim. – possible, but sounds more formal/hypothetical (“I would like to…”).

Why isn’t “konuşabilmek” conjugated for “I”? Why no “konuşabiliyorum” here?

In your sentence, “konuşabilmek” is the object of “istiyorum”:

(Ben) istiyorum – I want
neyi? (what?) → seninle açıkça konuşabilmek – to be able to speak openly with you

So konuşabilmek stays in the infinitive form (to be able to speak), and only istiyorum carries the person ending.

Compare:

Seninle açıkça konuşabiliyorum.
= I can speak openly with you. (stating current ability)

vs.

Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum.
= I want to be able to speak openly with you. (desiring that ability)

Different structure, different meaning.
One states ability (konuşabiliyorum), the other expresses desire for that ability (konuşabilmek istiyorum).

Could I say “Seninle açıkça konuşmak istiyorum” instead? Is that wrong?

You absolutely can say:

Ben seninle açıkça konuşmak istiyorum.

It is grammatically correct and very natural.
Meaning:

I want to speak openly with you.

The only nuance difference:

konuşmak istiyorum – simple desire to speak.
konuşabilmek istiyorum – desire to have the ability/opportunity to speak (implying something is making it difficult).

Both are fine; choose the one that best matches what you want to express.

Can we change the word order in this sentence? For example, can “ben” or “seninle” move?

Turkish word order is flexible, but the verb (istiyorum) usually stays at the end. Some common variants:

Ben seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum. – neutral.
Seninle açıkça konuşabilmek istiyorum. – same meaning; no ben, still clear from -um.
Ben seninle konuşabilmek açıkça istiyorum. – unnatural/wrong (adverb is in the wrong place).
Ben açıkça seninle konuşabilmek istiyorum. – possible; slight emphasis on açıkça.

In practice, keep:

subject (Ben) near the beginning,
adverb (açıkça) right before the verb phrase (konuşabilmek),
main verb (istiyorum) at the end.

Is there any difference between “benimle” and “seninle” types of forms and just adding “-le” directly (like “benle”, “senle”)?

For personal pronouns, there are two patterns:

Standard / full forms (with genitive):
- benimle – with me
- seninle – with you
- onunla – with him/her/it
- bizimle, sizinle, onlarla
Short / colloquial forms:
- benle
- senle

Usage:

benimle / seninle – standard, correct in all contexts.
benle / senle – common in casual speech, but avoided in more careful writing or formal situations.

In your sentence, “seninle” is the most standard and natural choice.