Comparison
Turkish Aorist vs Present Continuous
Use present continuous for what is happening now. Use aorist for habits, general truths, and repeated actions.
On this page
Example
Turkish
Ben geliyorum.
English: I am coming now.
Turkish
Ben gelirim.
English: I come / I usually come.
Difference
The basic difference
Present continuous tells you what is happening now or around now. Aorist tells you what is usually, generally, or repeatedly true.
- Meaning
- Happening now
- Use this form
- Present continuous
- Example
- Ben geliyorum.
- English
- I am coming now.
- Meaning
- Habit
- Use this form
- Aorist
- Example
- Ben gelirim.
- English
- I usually come.
- Meaning
- Current period
- Use this form
- Present continuous
- Example
- Bu hafta çalışıyorum.
- English
- I am working this week.
- Meaning
- General truth
- Use this form
- Aorist
- Example
- Şu kaynar.
- English
- Water boils.
- Meaning
- Repeated action
- Use this form
- Aorist
- Example
- Her gun okurum.
- English
- I read every day.
| Meaning | Use this form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happening now | Present continuous | Ben geliyorum. | I am coming now. |
| Habit | Aorist | Ben gelirim. | I usually come. |
| Current period | Present continuous | Bu hafta çalışıyorum. | I am working this week. |
| General truth | Aorist | Şu kaynar. | Water boils. |
| Repeated action | Aorist | Her gun okurum. | I read every day. |
Aorist
Use present continuous when...
The action is happening now or belongs to the current situation.
- Turkish
- Ben şimdi yemek yiyorum.
- English
- I am eating now.
- Turkish
- Biz bu hafta çok çalışıyoruz.
- English
- We are working a lot this week.
- Turkish
- O su anda geliyor.
- English
- He/she is coming right now.
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Ben şimdi yemek yiyorum. | I am eating now. |
| Biz bu hafta çok çalışıyoruz. | We are working a lot this week. |
| O su anda geliyor. | He/she is coming right now. |
Present Continuous
Use aorist when...
The action is a habit, pattern, general truth, or usual behavior.
- Turkish
- Ben her sabah kahve içerim.
- English
- I drink coffee every morning.
- Turkish
- Biz hafta sonları yürürüz.
- English
- We walk on weekends.
- Turkish
- Şu kaynar.
- English
- Water boils.
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Ben her sabah kahve içerim. | I drink coffee every morning. |
| Biz hafta sonları yürürüz. | We walk on weekends. |
| Şu kaynar. | Water boils. |
Watch out
Common mistake
English learners often see present and choose present continuous too often.
Choose by meaning, not just by the label present. Turkish forces a clearer choice.
Do not ask only Is this present? Ask:
Is it happening now, or is it generally true?
- Happening now: geliyorum
- Usually true: gelirim
Examples in real sentences
Examples in real sentences
Compare the meaning first, then notice which Turkish form fits.
- Cue
- I am getting on the metro now.
- Turkish
- Şu anda metroya biniyorum.
- Best choice
- Present continuous
- Cue
- I take the metro every morning.
- Turkish
- Her sabah metroya binerim.
- Best choice
- Aorist
- Cue
- We are working from home today.
- Turkish
- Bugün evden çalışıyoruz.
- Best choice
- Present continuous
- Cue
- We usually work from the office.
- Turkish
- Genelde ofisten çalışıriz.
- Best choice
- Aorist
- Cue
- He/she is replying to a message right now.
- Turkish
- O şimdi mesaja cevap veriyor.
- Best choice
- Present continuous
- Cue
- He/she replies quickly.
- Turkish
- O hızlı cevap verir.
- Best choice
- Aorist
- Cue
- The phone is charging slowly.
- Turkish
- Telefon yavaş şarj oluyor.
- Best choice
- Present continuous
- Cue
- This app works offline.
- Turkish
- Bu uygulama çevrimdışı çalışır.
- Best choice
- Aorist
| Cue | Turkish | Best choice |
|---|---|---|
| I am getting on the metro now. | Şu anda metroya biniyorum. | Present continuous |
| I take the metro every morning. | Her sabah metroya binerim. | Aorist |
| We are working from home today. | Bugün evden çalışıyoruz. | Present continuous |
| We usually work from the office. | Genelde ofisten çalışıriz. | Aorist |
| He/she is replying to a message right now. | O şimdi mesaja cevap veriyor. | Present continuous |
| He/she replies quickly. | O hızlı cevap verir. | Aorist |
| The phone is charging slowly. | Telefon yavaş şarj oluyor. | Present continuous |
| This app works offline. | Bu uygulama çevrimdışı çalışır. | Aorist |
FAQ
How do I choose between geliyorum and gelirim?
Use geliyorum when the action is happening now or belongs to the current situation. Use gelirim for habits, repeated actions, general truths, or usual behavior.
Can English present tense map to both Turkish forms?
Yes. English present wording can hide the difference. Ask whether the meaning is happening now or generally true before choosing the Turkish tense.
What is the fastest cue for this comparison?
Time cues like now, right now, or this week often point to present continuous. Cues like usually, every morning, or generally often point to the aorist.
Related topics
Practice