Activities with yapmak

The verb you reach for most

yapmak means to do or to make, and Turkish uses it to name almost any activity. The pattern is simply noun + yapmak, and the noun stays bare — no case ending.

Holidays and outings

to take a holidaytatil yapmak is *to take a holiday*, to have a picnicpiknik yapmak *to have a picnic*, to skikayak yapmak *to ski*. English reaches for a different verb each time — take, have, ski — where Turkish uses one. Before the trip you will need to make a reservationrezervasyon yapmak, *to make a booking*.

Work and health

to do researcharaştırma yapmak is *to do research*, to be on a dietdiyet yapmak *to be on a diet*.

Welcome and unwelcome

to surprise (someone)sürpriz yapmak is *to surprise someone*; to make noisegürültü yapmak, *to make noise*, rather less so.

Careful: you cannot swap in etmek. It is always spor yapmak, never spor etmek — and always kahvaltı etmek in careful writing. The pairing has to be learned noun by noun.