Arkadaşım espri yapınca gülmeden edemiyorum.

Arkadaş means friend.

The -ım ending is the 1st person possessive suffix, so arkadaşım means my friend.

Breakdown:

• arkadaş = friend
• arkadaşı-m = my friend

In this sentence, Arkadaşım is the subject of espri yapınca.

Espri yapmak is a very common Turkish expression meaning to make a joke, to joke, or to crack a joke.

Literally:

• espri = joke / wit
• yapmak = to do / to make

So Turkish uses make/do a joke where English would usually say tell a joke or make a joke.

Yapınca comes from yapmak plus the ending -ınca / -ince, which often means when, once, or whenever.

So:

• yap- = do / make
• yapınca = when he/she does, when he/she makes

Here, because the subject is already given as Arkadaşım, espri yapınca means:

• when my friend makes a joke
• or more naturally, when my friend cracks a joke

This -ınca form is often called a converb or adverbial verb form.

There are two different actions with two different subjects:

• Arkadaşım espri yapınca = when my friend makes a joke
• gülmeden edemiyorum = I can’t help laughing

So:

• the friend is the one making the joke
• I am the one laughing

Turkish often leaves out subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the person. In edemiyorum, the ending tells us the subject is I.

This is a very common Turkish pattern:

verb + -meden / -madan + edememek

It means:

• to be unable to refrain from doing
• to not be able to help doing
• to be unable not to do something

So:

• gülmek = to laugh
• gülmeden = without laughing
• edemiyorum = I cannot do / I can’t manage

Together, gülmeden edemiyorum means:

• I can’t help laughing
• I can’t stop myself from laughing

It is more idiomatic than literal in English.

This is a great question, because to an English speaker it can look like a confusing double negative.

The two parts are:

• gülmeden = without laughing
• edemiyorum = I can’t do / I’m unable

But together they form a fixed Turkish pattern meaning:

• I cannot go without laughing
• in natural English, I can’t help laughing

So this is not a random double negative. It is an established structure with a specific meaning.

Similar examples:

• Ağlamadan edemedim = I couldn’t help crying
• Bakmadan edemiyorum = I can’t help looking

Edemiyorum is in the present continuous form:

• ede-miyor-um
• I am not able to do

But in Turkish, the present continuous often covers meanings that English expresses with the simple present too, especially for habits, tendencies, or repeated situations.

So here it can mean:

• I can’t help laughing
• Whenever my friend jokes, I end up laughing

It does not have to mean only right now at this exact moment.

Because Turkish usually does not need the subject pronoun if the verb already shows the person.

In edemiyorum, the ending -um tells us the subject is I.

So:

• gülmeden edemiyorum = I can’t help laughing

You could say Ben gülmeden edemiyorum, but that would usually add emphasis, contrast, or emotion.

Yes, this word order is very natural in Turkish.

Turkish often puts the time/condition clause first, then the main clause:

• Arkadaşım espri yapınca = when my friend makes a joke
• gülmeden edemiyorum = I can’t help laughing

So the whole sentence is structured like:

• When my friend makes a joke, I can’t help laughing.

This is a very typical Turkish sentence pattern.

Yes. In many contexts, -ınca / -ince can mean either:

• when
• whenever

So Arkadaşım espri yapınca gülmeden edemiyorum can sound like:

• When my friend makes a joke, I can’t help laughing
• Whenever my friend makes a joke, I can’t help laughing

The exact nuance depends on context, but both are possible.

Yes. A rough breakdown is:

• Arkadaşım = my friend
• espri = joke
• yapınca = when making / when he makes
• gülmeden = without laughing
• edemiyorum = I can’t do / I’m unable

Very literal sense:

• When my friend makes a joke, I cannot manage without laughing.

Natural English:

• When my friend makes a joke, I can’t help laughing.