Alabilirken

Alabilirken is a Turkish grammar form that combines the potential mood suffix -ebilir with the temporal conjunction -ken to create an adverbial clause meaning “while one can take” or “as one is able to take.” The construction is built on the verb almak (to take/receive): al- is the stem, -abilir marks possibility, and -ken attaches to form a clause indicating the time frame or condition under which the main action occurs. In standard Turkish the subject of the -ken clause is usually the same as the main clause’s subject, though discourse context can allow variations.

Usage and function include expressing simultaneous actions or background conditions for the main clause. The -ken clause describes the circumstances in which the main event unfolds and can link two actions in time or highlight a concurrent situation. The tense and aspect of the -ken clause align with the surrounding sentence; -ken itself does not carry a separate tense.

Notes on grammar and style: -ken is a productive way to form adverbial clauses with finite verbs, and alabilirken behaves similarly to other -ken forms such as yaparken or görünürken, but with the nuance of possibility from -abilir. This form is most natural when the subject of both clauses is the same or clearly established in context.

Example: O alabilirken ben kapıyı kapattım. Translation: I closed the door while he could take it. This illustrates how alabilirken sets the background condition for the main clause.