bildim

Bildim is the first-person singular form of the Turkish verb bilmek in the simple past tense. It translates roughly as “I knew” or “I found out,” and it is used to express that the speaker has learned some information at a past time.

Morphology and related forms: Bildim is built from the root bil- (to know) with the simple past suffix -di and the first-person singular suffix -m, giving bil- + -di + -m = bildim. Turkish conjugation provides other person and tense forms from the same root, such as biliyorum (I know), bildin (you knew), and bildik (we knew). The form is regular within Turkish tense and aspect patterns.

Usage and nuance: Bildim often emphasizes the moment of learning or discovering something, rather than ongoing knowledge. It is commonly used to report information one has just learned or realized. In many contexts, speakers may choose ögrendim (I learned) for more formal or explicit learning, but bildim remains common in everyday speech, sometimes introduced with ki to introduce a clause, as in “Toplantının bugün iptal olduğunu bildim” (I learned that today’s meeting was canceled).

Examples:

- Toplantının bugün iptal olduğunu bildim. (I learned that today’s meeting was canceled.)

- Nerede olduğunu bildim. (I found out where it is.)

- Sınavın sonucunun açıklandığını bildim. (I learned that the exam result had been announced.)

In Turkish language study, bildim is contrasted with present-tense forms and with öğrendim, depending on whether the emphasis is on the act of learning or on existing knowledge.