Formal Continuous Relative Clauses: -mAktA olan
When watching the news or reading formal reports, you will often hear about events that are currently unfolding. To describe an ongoing action within a relative clause (like "the conflict which is intensifying"), Turkish uses the formal continuous marker -mAktA paired with olan.
To form this, add -makta or -mekte (following 2-way vowel harmony) to the verb root, and follow it with the separate word olan.
| The reporter is taking photos of the conflict which is intensifying in the region. | Muhabir, bölgede şiddetlenmekte olan çatışmanın fotoğraflarını çekiyor. |
| The spokesperson gave information about the attack which is currently taking place. | Sözcü, şimdi gerçekleşmekte olan saldırı ile ilgili bilgi verdi. |
Reporting Current Events
This structure is essential for discussing active, developing situations like political summits, legislative voting, or protests. It adds a formal, journalistic tone compared to standard relative clauses, making it perfect for news reports.
| The reporter shared the details he learned about the summit which is taking place today. | Muhabir, bugün gerçekleşmekte olan zirve hakkında öğrendiği detayları paylaştı. |
| The voting of the bill which is waiting in the parliament is very important. | Mecliste beklemekte olan tasarının oylaması çok önemli. |
| The protesters are getting increasingly angry at the attack which is continuing in the square. | Protestocular, meydanda devam etmekte olan saldırıya giderek daha çok kızıyor. |
Notice how -mAktA olan seamlessly turns an active, unfolding verb into a descriptive phrase for the noun that follows it.