Both olmak and bulunmak can describe being somewhere, but they are not interchangeable everywhere. Compare a change of status, a planned visit and a description of a building.
The idea
Olmak can express becoming: öğretmen oldu means became a teacher. It also expresses future presence in Yarın atölyede olacağım, and an event taking place in Toplantı yarın atölyede olacak. With a place expression, bulunmak describes location or presence: Depo bodrumda bulunuyor. It often sounds more formal than a simple location statement. Yarın atölyede bulunacağım is also possible: the visit need not be permanent. To say what a place contains, compare the more formal bir masa bulunuyor with everyday bir masa var.
| olmak | bulunmak |
|---|---|
| Yarın atölyede olacağım. | Yarın atölyede bulunacağım. |
| Kardeşim bu yıl öğretmen oldu. | Depo bodrumda bulunuyor. |
Examples
- Ben şimdi atölyedeyim.I am in the workshop now.
- Yarın atölyede olacağım.I will be in the workshop tomorrow.
- Depo bodrumda bulunuyor.The storeroom is located in the basement.
- Kardeşim bu yıl öğretmen oldu.My younger sibling became a teacher this year.
- Yarın atölyede bulunacağım.I will be present in the workshop tomorrow.
- Atölyede büyük bir masa bulunuyor.There is a large table in the workshop.
- Atölyede büyük bir masa var.There is a large table in the workshop.
- Kayıp çizim çekmecede bulundu.The missing drawing was found in the drawer.
- Toplantı yarın atölyede olacak.The meeting will take place in the workshop tomorrow.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Turkish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Turkish device voice is available. You can still read the text.
Watch out
Do not turn every present-tense “am/is/are” into oluyor: Ben şimdi atölyedeyim already says where I am. Also read the context of bulundu: in Kayıp çizim çekmecede bulundu, the missing drawing was found, not merely located there. This is the passive meaning of bulmak.
Try it yourself
Choose the form for becoming a teacher after completing training.
Show answer or example answer
oldu
oldu: completing the training leads to a new profession. Bulundu would not express becoming a teacher.
Describe where the storeroom is located, as in a description of the building.
Show answer or example answer
bulunuyor
bulunuyor: the sentence gives the storeroom’s location in the building. Oluyor does not serve as a neutral “is located” here.
Write either option that can express your presence in the workshop tomorrow.
Show answer or example answer
olacağım / bulunacağım
olacağım / bulunacağım: both allow the same visit tomorrow. The first is an ordinary statement; the second stresses presence and sounds more formal.
Tell a friend that you are at home right now; you are not describing a habit.
Show answer or example answer
evdeyim
evdeyim: this answers where you are at this moment. Evde oluyorum would need a different context, such as a recurring situation.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Choose the form for becoming a teacher after completing training.
Describe where the storeroom is located, as in a description of the building.
Write either option that can express your presence in the workshop tomorrow.
Tell a friend that you are at home right now; you are not describing a habit.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Describe where you are now, where you will be tomorrow and where a room is located. Rewrite the future sentence with the other verb and explain the change in tone. Use the linked forms page for olmak.