dönüyorken

Dönüyorken is a Turkish adverbial clause form meaning “while turning” or “as one turns.” It is formed from the verb dönmek (to turn) in the present continuous aspect, combined with the temporal conjunction ken. The resulting word, dönüyorken, marks that an action described in the main clause occurs at the same time as the turning action in the subordinate clause. The structure is commonly used to specify simultaneous actions within a sentence.

The -ken clause typically shares the same subject as the main clause, but Turkish allows the subject to differ when it is made explicit with a pronoun or noun phrase. For example, dönüyorken o bana bakıyordu means “while turning, he was looking at me.” More neutral constructions can simply pair dönüyorken with a subject in the main clause, as in dönüyorken beni gördüm, “I saw you while turning.”

In usage, dönüyorken is versatile for narrative and descriptive purposes, linking two concurrent actions and providing context for the main verb. It can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, and its position can influence emphasis or flow. The form is one of several Turkish coordinative continuations that express simultaneous actions; others include appropriate verb stems combined with -ken (such as yürürken, bakarken).

Notes and related forms: dönüyorken is related to other -ken constructions that express simultaneous actions, including dönerken or bakarken, depending on the verb root. The choice between dönüyorken and related forms often relies on verb harmony and typical spoken usage. Etymologically, the word combines dönmek with the present continuous and the temporal suffix -ken to convey concurrent action.