Role and capacity (olarak)

Expressing Role and Capacity with "olarak"

To say you do something "as" a certain profession, or function "in the capacity of" a specific role, Turkish uses the word olarak.

as / in the capacity of
olarak

Place olarak immediately after the noun it modifies.

The manager is joining the meeting as a representative.
Yönetici toplantıya temsilci olarak katılıyor.

Using "olarak" with Indefinite Articles

When speaking about a role in a general sense, the noun usually doesn't need an article. However, you can add bir (a / an) before the noun to emphasize "as a [role]."

As an expert, I need a new assistant.
Bir uzman olarak, yeni bir asistana ihtiyaç duyuyorum.

Alternative Uses for Objects

Olarak isn't just for job titles. You can use it to describe an object functioning as something else.

We used this thick book as a pillow.
Bu kalın kitabı yastık olarak kullandık.
The chef uses the pot in the kitchen as a weapon.
Şef, mutfaktaki tencereyi silah olarak kullanıyor.

Abstract Concepts

You can also use olarak to describe how you view or handle abstract situations, such as seeing an event "as" an opportunity.

I started to see this event as an opportunity.
Bu olayı bir fırsat olarak görmeye başladım.