Yeni güncelleme gelince uygulamayı tekrar indirdim.

Questions & Answers about Yeni güncelleme gelince uygulamayı tekrar indirdim.

What does gelince mean here, and how is it formed?

Gelince comes from the verb gelmek (to come) plus the suffix -ince/-ınca.

So:

  • gel- = come
  • -ince = when / once / after

In this sentence, yeni güncelleme gelince means something like:

  • when the new update came
  • when the new update arrived
  • once the new update came out

This suffix is a very common way to make a time clause in Turkish.


Does gelince mean when, after, or once?

It can suggest all of those, depending on context.

In this sentence, gelince most naturally means:

  • when the new update came
  • once the new update arrived

It usually implies that the second action happened at that time or as a result of that event. So here:

  • The update came
  • then I downloaded the app again

It is often slightly more immediate than a plain English after, though in many cases the translation overlaps.


Why is it yeni güncelleme and not yeni güncellemeyi?

Because yeni güncelleme is the subject of the subordinate clause.

In yeni güncelleme gelince:

  • yeni güncelleme = the new update
  • gelince = when it came

The thing doing the coming is the update, so it stays in the basic form, without the accusative ending.

By contrast, uygulamayı takes the accusative because it is the direct object of indirdim.


Why does uygulamayı have -yı on it?

Because it is a definite direct object.

  • uygulama = app / application
  • uygulamayı = the app

In Turkish, when the direct object is specific or definite, it usually takes the accusative ending.

So:

  • uygulama indirdim = I downloaded an app
  • uygulamayı indirdim = I downloaded the app

Here, the speaker means a specific app, so uygulamayı is correct.

The -y- is a buffer consonant added between the noun and the vowel-initial case ending.


What exactly does tekrar mean here?

Tekrar means again.

So:

  • uygulamayı tekrar indirdim = I downloaded the app again

It tells us the action happened another time. The person had downloaded it before, and then did it again.


Why is the verb indirdim and not something else?

İndirdim comes from indirmek, which in modern Turkish is commonly used for to download.

Breakdown:

  • indir- = download
  • -di- = past tense
  • -m = I

So indirdim = I downloaded

Literally, indirmek historically relates to bringing down / lowering, which is why it became the standard verb for downloading.


Why is there no word for I in the sentence?

Because Turkish often leaves out subject pronouns when the verb already shows the person clearly.

  • indirdim already means I downloaded

The -m ending tells us the subject is I, so adding ben is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis.

So:

  • Uygulamayı tekrar indirdim = I downloaded the app again
  • Ben uygulamayı tekrar indirdim = I downloaded the app again (more emphasis)

Is the word order fixed here?

No, Turkish word order is flexible, though some orders sound more natural than others.

This sentence:

  • Yeni güncelleme gelince uygulamayı tekrar indirdim.

is a very natural order:

  1. time clause
  2. object
  3. adverb
  4. verb

You could also see variations like:

  • Yeni güncelleme gelince tekrar uygulamayı indirdim.
  • Uygulamayı yeni güncelleme gelince tekrar indirdim.

These are possible, but they shift emphasis slightly. The original sounds smooth and neutral.

The verb often comes at the end in Turkish.


Why is gelmek used for an update? Can an update really come in Turkish?

Yes. In Turkish, it is very natural to say that an update comes:

  • güncelleme geldi = the update came
  • yeni güncelleme gelince = when the new update came

This is similar to English expressions like:

  • the update came out
  • the update arrived

So even if it feels a little different from English, gelmek is completely normal here.


What tense is indirdim?

It is the simple past tense.

Breakdown:

  • indir- = download
  • -di = past tense marker
  • -m = first person singular

So indirdim means I downloaded.

It refers to a completed action in the past.


Could gelince be replaced with geldiğinde?

Yes, in many contexts they are similar, but they are not always identical in tone.

  • gelince = when / once (it came)
  • geldiğinde = when (it came), more literally at the time that it came

So this version is also possible:

  • Yeni güncelleme geldiğinde uygulamayı tekrar indirdim.

Both are grammatical.
But gelince often feels a bit more direct and event-based: once it came, I downloaded it again.

For learners, a useful first impression is:

  • -ince = when/once
  • -diğinde = when / at the time that

Is there any cause-and-effect feeling in this sentence, or is it only about time?

There is mainly a time relationship, but it can also suggest a practical cause-and-effect idea.

The sentence says:

  • the new update came
  • then I downloaded the app again

In real context, that often implies:

  • because the update came, I downloaded it again

However, grammatically, gelince is primarily a temporal form, not a direct because form.

If you wanted to make the reason more explicit, Turkish could use other structures, but in everyday speech this sentence can naturally carry both ideas.


Does uygulamayı tekrar indirdim mean I downloaded the app again, or reinstalled it?

Literally, it means I downloaded the app again.

Whether that also implies reinstalling depends on context. In real life, someone might say this when they:

  • downloaded the app again after deleting it
  • re-downloaded it because of the new update
  • installed a fresh version

But the verb itself specifically points to downloading, not necessarily the whole process of installing.


Can this sentence also be understood as When the new update came out, I re-downloaded the app?

Yes, that is a very natural English rendering.

Even though the Turkish literally uses gelmek (to come), in this context English often says:

  • came out
  • was released
  • arrived

So When the new update came out, I re-downloaded the app is an excellent idiomatic translation.


What is the full breakdown of the whole sentence?

Here is a word-by-word breakdown:

  • Yeni = new
  • güncelleme = update
  • gelince = when it came / once it arrived
  • uygulamayı = the app
  • tekrar = again
  • indirdim = I downloaded

So the structure is:

  • [When the new update came] [I downloaded the app again].

This is a very typical Turkish sentence pattern with a subordinate time clause followed by the main clause.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
What's the best way to learn Turkish grammar?
Turkish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Turkish

Master Turkish — from Yeni güncelleme gelince uygulamayı tekrar indirdim to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions