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Questions & Answers about Bu kelimeyi bilmiyorum.
Why does "kelime" have "-yi" added to the end?
Kelime (word) is the direct object of the verb—it is the thing you do not know. Because it has bu (this) in front of it, it refers to a specific word. In Turkish, specific direct objects take the accusative case suffix. Since kelime ends in a vowel, we add the buffer letter -y- before the suffix -i, making it kelimeyi.
Why is the present continuous suffix "-yor" used if the English translation is "I do not know" instead of "I am not knowing"?
In English, we do not usually say "I am not knowing". But in Turkish, the present continuous tense (-yor) is very commonly used for current states of mind, feelings, and thoughts. Verbs like bilmek (to know), istemek (to want), and sevmek (to love) almost always take -yor for things happening right now.
I learned the negative suffix is "-me" or "-ma". Why is it "-mi" in "bilmiyorum"?
You are exactly right! The root is bil- and the negative suffix is -me. However, the -yor suffix changes the vowel before it. Whenever an -e or -a comes directly before -yor, it gets narrowed into a tighter vowel (ı, i, u, or ü). So, bil-me-yor-um becomes bilmiyorum.
Where is the word for "I" (ben) in this sentence?