Learn Hardcore Turkish: Toplantı odasında sunum yapmadan önce projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor. - Before giving a presentation in the meeting room, it is necessary to test the projector.

toplantı = meeting
oda = room
odası = meeting room (literally: room of the meeting)
- oda + -sı → odası (3rd person possessive, used in noun–noun compounds)
odasında = in the meeting room
- odası + -nda → odasında
- -da / -de / -ta / -te is the locative suffix = “in / at / on”
- The n is a buffer consonant between -sı and -da

So toplantı odasında is:
toplantı (meeting) + odası (its room / meeting room) + -nda (in)
→ in the meeting room.

You would not say toplantı odada for “in the meeting room”; you need the compound form toplantı odası first, then add the locative: toplantı odasında.

Why is it sunum yapmadan önce and not something like sunumdan önce?

Both are possible, but they are slightly different structures:

sunum yapmadan önce
- sunum = presentation
- yapmak = to do / make / give
- yapma = doing (verbal noun)
- yapmadan = without doing / before doing (literally: “without doing”)
- önce = before
sunum yapmadan önce = before giving the presentation / before doing the presentation.
Structure: (verb stem) + -mA + -dAn + önce → before doing X.
sunumdan önce
- sunum + -dan = from the presentation
- In time expressions, -dan önce = before (that time / event).
sunumdan önce = before the presentation.

In practice, in this context they are very close in meaning.

sunum yapmadan önce emphasizes the action of giving the presentation.
sunumdan önce emphasizes the time before the presentation (as an event).

Both would be understood, but sunum yapmadan önce feels more like “before actually starting to present.”

Why do you say sunum yapmak instead of just using a single verb?

Turkish often uses light verb constructions with yapmak (“to do/make”) where English uses a single verb:

sunum yapmak = to give a presentation
telefon etmek / telefon açmak = to call (on the phone)
alışveriş yapmak = to shop / do the shopping
araştırma yapmak = to do research
spor yapmak = to exercise / do sports

So sunum (presentation) is a noun, and yapmak (to do/make) turns it into a verb phrase:

sunum yapmak = to present / to give a presentation

You can use the verb sunmak (“to present, to offer”), e.g. sunum sunmak, but in daily speech sunum yapmak is by far more common and natural.

What does -madan in yapmadan mean, exactly?

-mA + -dAn on a verb stem forms a special kind of verbal noun that often means:

without doing X
before doing X (when used with önce)

For yapmadan:

yap- = do, make
yapma = doing (verbal noun)
yapmadan = without doing / before doing

In the pattern (verb + -madan önce), it is best translated as “before doing (verb)”:

yemek yemeden önce = before eating
gitmeden önce = before going
başlamadan önce = before starting
sunum yapmadan önce = before giving the presentation

So sunum yapmadan önce literally is “before (the state of) not having done the presentation yet,” i.e. “before giving the presentation.”

Why is it projeksiyonu and not just projeksiyon?

Projeksiyonu is the definite object form (accusative case):

projeksiyon = a projector / projector (in general)
projeksiyonu = the projector (a specific one), as a direct object

Breakdown:

projeksiyon (root)
projeksiyon + -u → projeksiyonu (accusative -ı / -i / -u / -ü)

In Turkish:

If the direct object is definite/specific, you normally use the accusative:
- Projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor.
  = It is necessary to test the (specific) projector.
If the object is indefinite / generic, you leave it bare:
- Projeksiyon denemek gerekiyor.
  Sounds like: “Testing a projector / projection (in general) is necessary”
  (unnatural in this concrete context).

Here, the speaker clearly refers to the projector in that meeting room, so projeksiyonu is appropriate.

What does denemek gerekiyor mean grammatically?

Denemek gerekiyor literally means “trying is necessary.” In natural English:
“it is necessary to test / to try.”

Structure:

denemek = to try / to test (infinitive)
gerek = necessity
gerekiyor = is necessary / is needed (present continuous / aorist-like)

So:

Projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor.
= It is necessary to test the projector.

This pattern is very common:

Erken gitmek gerekiyor. = It is necessary to go early.
Daha çok çalışmak gerekiyor. = One needs to work more.
Maske takmak gerekiyor. = You have to wear a mask.

Think of it as: [Verb in -mek form] + gerekiyor = “X-ing is necessary” → “one must / needs to X.”

Who is the subject in projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor? Who has to test it?

There is no explicit subject in the Turkish sentence. It’s an impersonal construction:

Projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor.
= It is necessary to test the projector.
= You / we / one need(s) to test the projector.

The implied subject is generic:

Often understood as “we” in a context like a team or company task.
Could also be “you” (people in general, or the listener).

If you want to make the subject explicit, you can say:

Projeksiyonu denememiz gerekiyor. = We have to test the projector.
Projeksiyonu denemen gerekiyor. = You (sg.) have to test the projector.
Projeksiyonu denemeleri gerekiyor. = They have to test the projector.

But the original sentence leaves it general, like English “You should / One should / It’s necessary to…”

Is the word order fixed? Can I move parts of the sentence around?

Turkish word order is relatively flexible, but the default / neutral order is:

[Place] – [Time / condition] – [Object] – [Verb]

Your sentence:

Toplantı odasında (place)
sunum yapmadan önce (time: before doing the presentation)
projeksiyonu (object)
denemek gerekiyor (verb phrase)

You can rearrange some parts without changing the core meaning, although emphasis will shift:

Sunum yapmadan önce toplantı odasında projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor.
(More emphasis on before giving the presentation.)
Projeksiyonu toplantı odasında sunum yapmadan önce denemek gerekiyor.
(Emphasis on the projector.)

The verb phrase (denemek gerekiyor) almost always stays at the end in standard Turkish. Changing that would sound very marked or ungrammatical.

What exactly does gerekiyor express compared to other words like lazım or zorunda?

All three relate to necessity/obligation, but with different flavors and structures:

gerekiyor
- Neutral, somewhat formal; “is necessary,” “is needed.”
- Projeksiyonu denemek gerekiyor.
  = It is necessary to test the projector.
lazım
- Similar meaning, a bit more colloquial in many contexts.
- Projeksiyonu denemek lazım.
  = It is necessary / We need to test the projector.
zorunda (kalmak / olmak)
- Stronger sense of obligation / being forced.
- Projeksiyonu denemek zorundayız.
  = We must / are obliged to test the projector.

So:

gerekiyor / lazım: neutral requirement or recommendation.
zorunda: must, no real choice.

Is projeksiyon really “projector”? I thought it meant “projection.”

In Turkish everyday usage:

projeksiyon is commonly used to mean “projector” (the device).
Technically, it can also mean “projection” (as in image projection), but in contexts like meetings and presentations, people usually mean the projector machine.

Some speakers might also say:

projeksiyon cihazı = projector device
projektör = projector (also used, sometimes more technically)

In this sentence, given the context “meeting room” and “presentation”, projeksiyonu denemek clearly means “to test the projector.”