Bitince

Bitince is a Turkish temporal conjunctional form that means “when it ends” or “as soon as it ends.” It is used to introduce a dependent clause that sets the time condition for the action in the main clause. The word is derived from the verb bitmek (to finish) and the temporal suffix -ince, which marks a point in time when the preceding event is completed. The form bitince is common in everyday Turkish and does not require an additional conjunction to link clauses.

In use, bitince expresses a sequence: once X is finished, Y happens. The dependent clause can come before or after the main clause, though it often precedes it. Bitince is appropriate for referring to completed actions and can convey future or past contexts depending on the tense of the main clause. It is typically used with verbs that describe finishing or ending, but it can attach to any verb whose completion is the condition for the main clause.

Examples include: “Toplantı bitince, notlar dağıtılacak.” (“When the meeting ends, the notes will be distributed.”) and “Yemek bitince dışarı çıkalım.” (“Let’s go out when the food is finished.”) The construction relies on the verb stem plus the -ince suffix, reflecting Turkish vowel harmony and suffixation rules. Bitince is one of several Turkish -ince/-unca/-incek forms used to link time-dependent clauses, each chosen to fit the preceding verb’s phonology and meaning.

See also: Turkish grammar, temporal clauses, conjunctions in Turkish.