çalarak

Çalarak is an adverbial participle in Turkish formed from the verb çal-, with the suffix -arak (harmonized as -arak in this instance). The form conveys the manner or means by which an action is performed, roughly translating to “by doing X” or “by X-ing.” It functions to connect a subordinate clause to the main clause, indicating how or through what action something occurs.

Because the base verb çal- has multiple senses—to knock or ring, to play a musical instrument, and to steal—çalarak can carry several related meanings depending on context. Examples include entering by knocking on a door: Kapıyı çalarak içeri girdi (He entered by knocking on the door); leaving the room while playing an instrument: Bir keman çalarak odadan çıktı (He left the room while playing a violin); or escaping by stealing: Eşyaları çalarak evden kaçtı (He escaped from the house by stealing the belongings). The precise sense is determined by the surrounding context.

Grammatically, çalarak is a non-finite clause that can function as an adverbial modifier, indicating the manner or means of the main action. It can appear before or after the main clause, and the understood subject is typically the same as that of the main clause when not explicitly stated. It is common in both written and spoken Turkish, especially in descriptive or narrative passages.

In usage, speakers may choose related forms such as -erek or -ken to convey similar ideas, depending on whether the emphasis is on means, manner, or simultaneity. The choice with çalarak often hinges on the desired nuance and the specific sense of çal- in the sentence.