Learn Turkish: İşe gitmeden önce başım ağrır. - My head aches before going to work.

We take the verb root git- (to go) and add the suffix -meden (or -madan depending on vowel harmony). When you follow this with önce (before), it creates the meaning 'before going'.

Why is the verb ağrır used instead of ağrıyor?

ağrır is in the simple present tense (called the aorist), marked by the -r at the end of the verb root ağrı-. This tense is used for general habits or repeated facts. It means the speaker's head regularly aches before work, rather than just happening right now.

Why does the sentence say başım ağrır instead of translating 'I have a headache' word-for-word?

In English we 'have' a headache, but in Turkish you express this by saying your specific body part is aching. başım means 'my head' (baş + the 'my' suffix -ım), and it acts as the subject of the verb ağrır (aches).

Why does the word iş have an -e attached to it here?

The verb gitmek (to go) requires you to show the direction you are moving toward. We do this by adding the dative case suffix -e or -a (meaning 'to'). So, iş (work) becomes işe (to work).