yakmak

Yakmak is a Turkish verb meaning to burn, to ignite, or to set on fire. It can describe lighting a fire or burning something as fuel, and it is also used in figurative expressions such as burning calories (yağ yakmak) in fitness contexts.

Usage and valency: Yakmak is transitive and typically requires a direct object. Examples include "odunları yakmak" (to burn the firewood) and "ateşi yakmak" (to light the fire). The verb follows regular Turkish conjugation: present tense yakıyorum, yakıyorsun, yakıyor; past tense yaktım, yaktın, yaktı; future yakacağımm, yakacaksın, yakacak. Negation is formed with "yakmıyorum" and similar forms.

Examples illustrate both literal and figurative uses: "Kamp ateşini yakmak için kibriti kullandı" means he used a match to light the campfire; "yağ yakmak için egzersiz yapıyor" indicates he is exercising to burn fat.

Relation to other forms: The intransitive form yanmak means "to be on fire" and is used when the subject itself is burning (e.g., ev yanıyor). "Yakma" can function as a noun meaning the act of burning or, in some contexts, arson.

Etymology: Yakmak is a native Turkish verb built with the root yak- and standard Turkish verb morphology, forming a core vocabulary item for burning and ignition.