In Tatar, there are several ways to express when/while. The most common ones are using:
⏳ waqıtında, waqıtta – while, during, as (indicating time)
Söyləgən waqıtta ul “r” awazın döres əytə almıy. (Mirsəy Əmir, “Üsə töşkəç”)
When he spoke, he could not pronounce the sound “r” correctly.
⏳ çağında, çaqta – while, during; when, as
Bala çağımda bu əkiyətlərgə çın dip ışana idem.
When I was a child I believed these stories to be true.
Bergə tatu yəşəgən çaqlarda da … şuşıñar oxşaşlı xəllər turında söyli torğan ide ul. (Söbbux Rafikov, “Tın yılğa buyında”)
Even when they were living together peacefully, she would talk about things like these …
⏳ The past participle in the locative is used if an action is taking place during another continuous action:
Yunanstanda səyəxət itkəndə bez diñgezdə yözəbez. – While traveling in Grece, we swim in the sea.
Yunanstanda səyəxət itkəndə bez diñgezdə yözdek. – While traveling in Grece, we swam in the sea.
Yunanstanda səyəxət itkəndə diñgezdə yözərbez. – When we go traveling in Grece, we will swim in the sea.
⏳ If an action is taking place after another single short action, we use -ğaç, -gəç, -qaç, -kəç:
Sәğәt 8 tulğaç, kibet açıla. – When it’s 8 o’clock, the shop opens.
Sәğәt 8 tulğaç, kibet açıldı. – When it was 8 o’clock, the shop opened.
Sәğәt 8 tulğaç, kibet açılaçaq. – When it’s 8 o’clock, the shop will open.
⏳ The verbal noun in -ş, -ış, -eş of verbs expressing motion may take the suffix -lıy, -li.
This form indicates that the action of the principal verb is performed at the time when the action expressed by the verbal noun takes place. Like other forms, it may be used in the past, present, or future tense.
Nəcip hərkönne eştən qaytışlıy, yul uñayındağı azıq-tölek kibetenə suğılıp çığa ide. (Zöfər Fətxetdinov, “Aq “Jiguli” ez yuğalta”)
Every day, while returning from work, Nəcip dropped in at the grocer's which was on the way.