Dün nohutu ıslattım, bugün de mercimeği yıkıyorum.

Because they are definite direct objects in the sentence.

In Turkish, when a direct object is specific or definite, it usually takes the accusative ending. That is what you see here:

• nohut → nohutu
• mercimek → mercimeği

So the sentence is talking about the chickpeas and the lentils as specific things, not just chickpeas/lentils in general.

Compare:

• Nohut ıslattım = I soaked chickpeas.
• Nohutu ıslattım = I soaked the chickpeas.

English does not always mark this difference clearly, but Turkish does.

This is because of a very common sound change in Turkish.

The noun mercimek ends in -k. When a vowel-initial ending is added, final k often changes to ğ:

• mercimek
  • -i → mercimeği

This is similar to other words:

• köpek → köpeği
• çiçek → çiçeği
• bebek → bebeği

The ğ here is the soft g. It usually is not pronounced like a strong consonant in English. Instead, it often lengthens the previous vowel or creates a smooth transition.

Because of vowel harmony.

The accusative ending has different forms:

• -ı
• -i
• -u
• -ü

Which one you use depends on the last vowel of the noun.

In nohut, the last vowel is u, so the accusative becomes -u:

• nohut → nohutu

In mercimek, the last vowel is e, so the accusative becomes -i:

• mercimek → mercimeği

This is one of the most important patterns in Turkish grammar.

Here, de means something like too, also, or as well.

So:

• Dün nohutu ıslattım = Yesterday I soaked the chickpeas.
• Bugün de mercimeği yıkıyorum = Today also / as well I’m washing the lentils.

It connects the two actions and shows that today’s action is another related step.

In natural English, you might translate it as:

• Yesterday I soaked the chickpeas, and today I’m also washing the lentils.
• Yesterday I soaked the chickpeas, and today I’m washing the lentils too.

Because the sentence uses two different time frames:

• ıslattım = I soaked → past tense
• yıkıyorum = I am washing → present continuous

This matches the time words:

• Dün = yesterday
• bugün = today

So the speaker is talking about:

1. something completed yesterday
2. something happening now/today

This is very natural in Turkish.

Islattım can be broken down like this:

• ıslat- = to wet / to soak
• -tı = past tense
• -m = I

So:

• ıslattım = I soaked / I wetted

The exact English translation depends on context. With food like chickpeas, soaked is usually the most natural translation.

Yıkıyorum breaks down like this:

• yıka- / yık- = wash
• -ıyor = present continuous
• -um = I

So:

• yıkıyorum = I am washing

The present continuous in Turkish is very common for actions happening now or around now.

Other examples:

• geliyorum = I am coming
• okuyorum = I am reading
• pişiriyorum = I am cooking

Because Turkish often leaves out the subject pronoun when it is already clear from the verb ending.

Here:

• ıslattı-m → the -m shows I
• yıkıyor-um → the -um shows I

So saying ben is not necessary.

You could say:

• Ben dün nohutu ıslattım, bugün de mercimeği yıkıyorum.

But it is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

Because Turkish normally uses SOV word order:

• Subject – Object – Verb

So a basic Turkish pattern is:

• Ben mercimeği yıkıyorum.
• literally: I the lentils am washing

This is different from English, which usually uses SVO:

• I am washing the lentils.

In your sentence, the subject is omitted, but the object still comes before the verb:

• Dün nohutu ıslattım
• bugün de mercimeği yıkıyorum

That is completely normal Turkish word order.

Literally, ıslatmak means to wet or to make wet, but in cooking contexts it often means to soak.

So with nohut (chickpeas), nohutu ıslattım is best understood as:

• I soaked the chickpeas

That is more natural in English than I wetted the chickpeas.

Context is very important with this verb.

A learner-friendly pronunciation is roughly:

• mer-ji-MEY-ee

A few notes:

• c in Turkish is pronounced like English j
• ğ is usually not a strong g sound
• the ğ often just softens the flow and lengthens the vowel a bit

So mercimeği does not sound like mer-ci-meg-i.

A more natural feel is something like:

• mer-ci-mee-i
• or mer-ji-mey-i, depending on speaking style

The key point is that ğ is soft and usually not pronounced like a hard consonant.

Yes, especially the second part.

Yıkıyorum literally means I am washing, but Turkish present continuous can sometimes be used a little more broadly than English right now.

So depending on context, it could mean:

• I’m washing the lentils today
• I’m in the process of washing the lentils
• Today I’m washing the lentils

However, in this sentence, the most natural understanding is still a current or ongoing action related to today’s cooking/preparation.

Yes, Turkish word order is flexible, but changes in order often change focus or emphasis rather than basic meaning.

For example:

• Dün nohutu ıslattım, bugün de mercimeği yıkıyorum.
  Neutral and natural.

You might also hear variations like:

• Nohutu dün ıslattım, mercimeği bugün de yıkıyorum.

But for learners, the original version is the best model to follow.

Turkish often moves parts around to highlight:

• when something happened
• what was affected
• or to create contrast between ideas like yesterday and today