koruyarak

Koruyarak is a Turkish adverbial participle (zarf-fiil) formed from the verb korumak, meaning “to protect.” The word literally means “by protecting” or “while protecting” and is used to indicate the manner, means, or method by which an action is performed. It can also convey a sense of protection as part of the accompanying action.

Formation and grammar

The zarf-fiil suffix -arak or -erek is attached to the verb stem in Turkish, with vowel harmony guiding the choice of form. For korumak, the standard result is koruyarak, with a linking y for phonological ease. This form introduces a subordinate idea that describes how the main action occurs, similar to English “by protecting” or “while protecting.” It can link to a main clause either as a separate idea or to express the means by which something happens.

Usage and examples

Koruyarak is commonly used to connect clauses and express manner or means. Examples:

- Kendini koruyarak hareket etti. (He moved by protecting himself.)

- Çocuğu koruyarak karşıya geçti. (She crossed to the other side by protecting the child.)

- Güvenliği koruyarak çalıştı. (He worked while protecting security / by protecting safety.)

Nuances and related forms

Koruyarak emphasizes the method or means of the action, rather than only the timing. A closely related form is korurken, which generally expresses “while” doing something in a temporal sense rather than as a means. The verb korumak belongs to Turkish verb families that form zarf-fiil with -arak/-erek; other verbs follow the same pattern to express “by doing X.”

See also

Korumak; zarf-fiil; Turkish grammar; -arak/-erek suffixes.