Learn Hardcore Turkish: Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum. - I want to be able to say this to you openly.

The most important / emphasized element is usually right before the verb.
Moving bunu right before the verb highlights this thing:
- Ben sana BUNU açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum. (I want to be able to say this to you.)

All of these are grammatical; the context and what you want to stress determines which is more natural.

Could I drop ben, sana, or bunu? When is that possible?

Yes, Turkish often drops pronouns and even objects when they are obvious from context.

Ben can be dropped because istiyorum already shows 1st person singular:
- Sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum.
sana can be dropped if it’s clear who “you” is:
- Ben bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum. (I want to be able to say this openly (to you).)
bunu can be dropped if “this” is already clear:
- Ben sana açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum. (I want to be able to speak openly to you. — more general)

You can even drop all three if context is very clear:

Açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum.

All are grammatical; you just lose specificity as you drop items.

What exactly does açıkça mean, and why not just açık?

açık is an adjective: open, clear
açıkça is an adverb: openly, clearly

The suffix -ça / -ce often turns adjectives into adverbs:

açık → açıkça (open → openly)
ciddi → ciddice (serious → seriously)
kaba → kabaca (rough → roughly)

Since söylemek (to say) is a verb, we need an adverb to describe how we say it:

açıkça söylemek = to say (something) openly/clearly

Using açık alone here (açık söylemek) is also heard in speech, but açıkça is the standard, clearly adverbial form.

What’s the difference between açıkça söylemek, açık konuşmak, and açık açık söylemek?

All three are related but slightly different:

açıkça söylemek
- to say it openly / clearly
- Focus on clarity / honesty in what you say.
açık konuşmak
- literally to speak openly
- More about your manner of speaking in general, not one specific sentence.
açık açık söylemek
- to say it very plainly / explicitly (no sugar-coating)
- The repetition açık açık adds emphasis: very clear, blunt, no indirectness.

So your sentence with açıkça suggests honest, straightforward saying, without necessarily being harsh.

How is söyleyebilmek formed, and what does each part mean?

söyleyebilmek can be broken down as:

söyle- → verb root: to say, to tell
-y- → buffer consonant (just to connect the parts smoothly)
-ebil- → “abilitative” suffix: can, be able to
-mek → infinitive suffix: to … / -ing

So:

söylemek = to say
söyleyebilmek = to be able to say / to be able to tell

The -ebil- / -abil- part is similar to English can or be able to, but here it’s inside the verb itself, not a separate word.

Why is it söyleyebilmek istiyorum, not just söylemek istiyorum?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things:

söylemek istiyorum
- I want to say (it).
- Focus on wanting to say it.
söyleyebilmek istiyorum
- I want to be able to say (it).
- Focus on having the ability / courage / circumstances to say it.

Using -ebilmek adds the nuance of capability or possibility, often including social/emotional barriers:

Maybe you’re afraid, not allowed, or the situation is not right.
So you’re saying: I wish I were in a position where I could say this to you (openly).

That’s why söyleyebilmek istiyorum is stronger and more emotional than söylemek istiyorum.

Why is the verb with istemek in the infinitive form (-mek)?

In Turkish, istemek (to want) normally takes an infinitive verb:

gelmek istiyorum = I want to come
gitmek istiyorum = I want to go
konuşmak istiyorum = I want to speak
söyleyebilmek istiyorum = I want to be able to say

So the pattern is:

[infinitive] + istiyorum = I want to [verb]

That’s why we use söyleyebilmek (infinitive) before istiyorum.

Why do we use istiyorum (present continuous) and not isterim (aorist)?

Both exist, but they have different nuances:

istiyorum (present continuous)
- More immediate, emotional, personal.
- Often used for current desires:
  - Bunu yapmak istiyorum. = I want to do this (now / in this situation).
isterim (aorist)
- More general, habitual, or slightly formal.
- Often means “I would like / I generally want”:
  - Çayı şekersiz isterim. = I (normally) take my tea without sugar.

In your sentence, istiyorum suggests a current, felt desire:

Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum.
→ Right now, in this situation, I really want to be able to say this to you.

Where can açıkça go in the sentence? Does its position matter?

Common positions include:

Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum. (very natural)
Ben sana açıkça bunu söyleyebilmek istiyorum.
Ben bunu sana açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum.

All are grammatical. In Turkish:

Adverbs like açıkça generally appear before the verb they modify.
Changes in position mostly affect emphasis and rhythm, not core meaning.

Very roughly:

Closer to söyleyebilmek = stronger link to how the saying is done.
Before bunu can give a little extra highlight to “saying this one thing clearly.”

But the most neutral, typical version is exactly your original:
Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum.

What’s the difference between söylemek and demek? Could I use demek here?

Both relate to “saying,” but they’re used differently:

demek
- Often used when you quote or specify exact words:
  - “Geliyorum” dedi. = He said, “I’m coming.”
- Fixed expressions: yani demek, demek ki, etc.
söylemek
- More general: to say, to tell, to state:
  - Bunu sana söylemek istiyorum. = I want to tell you this.
- Often used with an indirect object (tell someone something).

In Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istiyorum., söylemek is more natural because of the double object structure (tell this to you).

You could say:

Ben sana bunu açıkça diyebilmek istiyorum.

It’s not wrong, but it sounds less natural; demek is more common with direct quotes or shorter phrases like “bunu diyebilmek” in some contexts. Söyleyebilmek fits better here.

How would I say the negative: “I don’t want to be able to say this to you openly”?

There are two separate ideas to negate; usually you only negate one:

I don’t want to be able to say this to you openly.
(You don’t have that desire.)
→ Negate istemek:
- Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istemiyorum.
I want to not be able to say this to you openly.
(You want to lack the ability — quite odd in meaning.)
→ Negate söyleyebilmek:
- Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyememek istiyorum.
  This is grammatically OK but conceptually strange.

In normal conversation, you almost always mean option 1:

Ben sana bunu açıkça söyleyebilmek istemiyorum.

Is the -ebil- in söyleyebilmek always spelled like that? Why not -abil-?

The choice between -ebil- and -abil- follows vowel harmony:

After front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) → -ebil-
After back vowels (a, ı, o, u) → -abil-

The stem söyle- has ö and e, both front vowels, so we use:

söyle- + -ebil- → söyleyebil-
(plus the buffer -y-)

Examples:

gör- → görebilmek (to be able to see)
bil- → bilebilmek (to be able to know)
yap- → yapabilmek (to be able to do)
konuş- → konuşabilmek (to be able to speak)

So söyleyebilmek is exactly what we expect from vowel harmony rules.