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In the previous lesson, you learned how to add the present continuous suffix (**-Iyor**) to verbs that end in a consonant. When a verb root ends in a wide vowel (**a** or **e**), that vowel must "narrow" before you can add the continuous suffix.

### Vowel Narrowing

The easiest way to find the correct suffix for a verb root ending in **a** or **e** is to use the "drop and add" trick:

1. Drop the final **a** or **e** from the verb root.
2. Look at the *new* last vowel of the root.
3. Add the standard 4-way harmony suffix (**-ıyor**, **-iyor**, **-uyor**, or **-üyor**).

| Root | Drop a/e | Suffix | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **anla-** | anl- | **-ıyor** | anlıyor | understands |
| **iste-** | ist- | **-iyor** | istiyor | wants |
| **oyna-** | oyn- | **-uyor** | oynuyor | is playing |
| **söyle-** | söyl- | **-üyor** | söylüyor | is singing |

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### The Exception: Yemek

The verb **yemek** (to eat) is so short that its root is just a single letter **e**: **ye-**. Because there is no other vowel left in the root to follow for vowel harmony, it acts as an exception. It simply becomes **yiyor**.

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### More Examples

Here are a few more common verbs that undergo vowel narrowing in the present continuous tense:

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Present continuous for vowel roots (-iyor)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

postposition

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstrative pronouns (bu, şu, o)

Basic question words (kim, ne)

Plural nouns (-lar, -ler)

I am and you are (-(y)ım, -sın)

We, you, and they are (-(y)ız, -sınız)

Negative statements (değil)

Yes and no questions (mı, mi, mu, mü)

Questions with 'to be' (mısın, mıyım)

Numbers 1 to 10 (bir, iki, üç)

Numbers 11 to 20 (on bir, on iki)

Numbers by tens to 100 (otuz, kırk...)

Counting objects (tane)

The locative case (-da, -de)

Consonant assimilation (-ta, -te)

Asking where (nerede)

There is / there are (var)

There is not / there are not (yok)

Asking how many (kaç)

Infinitive verbs (-mak, -mek)

Informal commands (git, gel)

Negative commands (-ma, -me)

Polite and plural commands (-In, -InIz)

Basic word order

Present continuous for consonant roots (-iyor)

Present continuous personal suffixes (-iyorum)

Negative present continuous (-miyor)

Present continuous questions (-iyor mu)

Future plans with present continuous

The dative case (-(y)a, -(y)e)

Consonant mutation (k, t, p, ç to ğ, d, b, c)

From or out of (-dan / -den)

Directional question words (nereye, nereden)

First and second person possessives (-(i)m, -(i)n)

Third person possessive (-(s)i)

Plural possessives (-imiz, -iniz, -leri)

The genitive case (-(n)in)

Definite noun compounds (-nin ... -si)

Indefinite noun compounds (bare noun + -(s)i)

Possessive buffer letter (n)

Spatial postpositions (içinde, üstünde)

The definite direct object (-(y)ı, -(y)i)

Object question words (kimi, neyi)

Adjectives modifying nouns

Manner and choice questions (nasıl, hangi)

Basic degree modifiers (çok, biraz)

Comparisons (daha, en)

Days of the week

Months of the year

The time question word (ne zaman)

Telling time (saat, buçuk)

Asking the time (saat kaç, saat kaçta)

Basic conjunctions (ve, ama, veya)

Causality conjunction (çünkü)

Means and accompaniment (ile, -(y)lA)

Purpose and beneficiaries (için)

Expressing desire (-mak istemek)

The past copula (-(y)DI)

The direct past tense (-DI)

Past tense personal suffixes (-DIm, -DIn)

Past tense negative (-mAdI)

Past tense questions (-DI mI)

Ordinal numbers (-(I)ncI)

Greetings and politeness

Saying 'too' (de, da)

Conversation fillers (şey, yani, hadi)

Conversational essentials

Reflexive pronouns (kendim, kendin)

Reciprocal pronouns (birbiri)

Indefinite pronouns for people (herkes, kimse)

Indefinite pronouns for things and places (her şey, hiçbir şey)

Conjunctions of consequence (bu yüzden, bu nedenle)

Correlative conjunctions (hem... hem, ne... ne)

Verbs taking the dative case (-e / -a)

Verbs taking the ablative case (-den / -dan)

Time origin (beri)

Time duration (-DIr)

Comparisons of similarity (gibi)

Comparisons of equality (kadar)

Perspectives (göre)

Verbal nouns (-mA / -mE)

Verbal nouns as objects (-mAyI / -mEyI)

Verbal nouns with the dative (-mAyA / -mEyA)

General necessity (lazım / gerek)

Personal necessity (-mAm lazım)

Third-person commands (-sIn / -sInlAr)

First person singular optative (-(y)AyIm)

First person plural optative (-(y)AlIm)

Question	Answer
mother	anne
to clean	temizlemek
Mother is cleaning the house now.	Anne şimdi ev temizliyor.
father	baba
to want / to require / to call for	istemek
Father wants hot coffee.	Baba sıcak kahve istiyor.
game	oyun
The child is playing a game.	Çocuk bir oyun oynuyor.
song	şarkı
to say, to sing	söylemek
The young woman is singing a song.	Genç kadın bir şarkı söylüyor.
lesson, class	ders
The lesson is starting now.	Ders şimdi başlıyor.
to understand	anlamak
The man understands very well.	Adam çok iyi anlıyor.
to paint	boyamak
The girl is painting a new picture.	Kız yeni bir resim boyuyor.
The mother is listening to music and singing a song.	Anne müzik dinliyor ve şarkı söylüyor.
The old man is waiting for a taxi.	Yaşlı adam bir taksi bekliyor.
The small cat wants milk.	Küçük kedi süt istiyor.
The baby is crying now.	Bebek şimdi ağlıyor.
The child is eating an apple.	Çocuk bir elma yiyor.
How many students are listening to the lesson?	Kaç öğrenci ders dinliyor?
The father is cleaning now.	Baba şimdi temizliyor.
The child is playing a game and painting a picture.	Çocuk oyun oynuyor ve resim boyuyor.
The student is listening and understanding.	Öğrenci dinliyor ve anlıyor.
again	tekrar
Please say it again.	Lütfen tekrar söyleyin.
Read it again, please.	Tekrar oku, lütfen.
paternal grandmother	babaanne
Dad and grandma are drinking tea.	Baba ve babaanne çay içiyor.
Grandma is very happy.	Babaanne çok mutlu.
maternal grandmother	anneanne
Mom and grandma are making soup.	Anne ve anneanne çorba yapıyor.
Grandma is sitting in the garden.	Anneanne bahçede oturuyor.
granny	nine
Granny is singing a song.	Nine şarkı söylüyor.
Granny is very old but very strong.	Nine çok yaşlı ama çok güçlü.
older brother	ağabey
Big brother is studying.	Ağabey ders çalışıyor.
Big brother is playing a game.	Ağabey oyun oynuyor.
to kiss	öpmek
The baby is sleeping — don't kiss him!	Bebek uyuyor, öpme!
Kissing is a nice thing.	Öpmek güzel bir şey.