Questions & Answers about Dün arkadaşlarla çok eğlendik.
What does dün mean, and why is it at the beginning?
Dün means yesterday.
In Turkish, time words often come near the beginning of the sentence, so Dün arkadaşlarla çok eğlendik is a very natural order:
Yesterday, we had a lot of fun with friends.
That said, Turkish word order is flexible. You could move dün for emphasis, but sentence-initial position is the most neutral here.
Why is arkadaşlarla one word? Where is the word for with?
In Turkish, with is often expressed by the suffix -la / -le attached directly to a noun.
So:
- arkadaş = friend
- arkadaşlar = friends
- arkadaşlarla = with friends
This is basically:
- arkadaşlar
- -la → arkadaşlarla
There is also a separate form ile, which also means with. So arkadaşlarla and arkadaşlar ile mean the same thing, but the attached suffix form is very common in everyday Turkish.
Why is it -larla and not -lerle?
This is because of vowel harmony.
The ending for with is -la or -le, depending on the last vowel of the word it attaches to.
- If the last vowel is a back vowel like a, ı, o, u, you use -la
- If the last vowel is a front vowel like e, i, ö, ü, you use -le
Here the word is arkadaşlar, whose last vowel is a, so the correct form is -la:
- arkadaşlar + la → arkadaşlarla
Does arkadaşlarla mean with friends or with the friends?
It can mean either, depending on context.
Turkish does not have articles like a and the in the same way English does. So arkadaşlarla can be understood as:
- with friends
- with the friends
In many contexts, English would naturally translate it as with friends.
If Turkish wants to be more specific, it usually does so through context or other words, not through an article.
How is eğlendik built grammatically?
Why isn’t biz used? How do we know it means we?
Turkish often leaves out subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you the person.
In eğlendik, the -k ending shows that the subject is we.
So:
- eğlendik = we had fun
- biz eğlendik = we had fun, but with extra emphasis on we
Using biz is possible, but it is not necessary unless you want contrast or emphasis.
What is the dictionary form of eğlendik?
The dictionary form is eğlenmek.
Turkish dictionaries list verbs in the -mek / -mak infinitive form. So:
- eğlenmek = to have fun / to enjoy oneself
From that verb, you get:
- eğlendim = I had fun
- eğlendik = we had fun
- eğleniyor = he/she is having fun
- eğleneceğiz = we will have fun
Why is çok before the verb?
What exactly does eğlenmek mean? Is it the same as to enjoy?
Eğlenmek usually means to have fun, to enjoy oneself, or to be entertained.
So çok eğlendik is closer to:
- we had a lot of fun
- we really enjoyed ourselves
It is not exactly the same as English enjoy in every situation. For example:
- Filmi çok beğendim = I liked the film a lot
- Filmde çok eğlendim = I had a lot of fun during the film
A related verb is eğlendirmek, which means to entertain someone.
So:
- eğlenmek = to have fun
- eğlendirmek = to entertain
Can the word order change?
Yes. Turkish word order is flexible, though some orders sound more neutral than others.
The most neutral version here is:
- Dün arkadaşlarla çok eğlendik.
You could also hear:
- Arkadaşlarla dün çok eğlendik.
- Dün çok eğlendik arkadaşlarla.
This can sound more conversational or marked.
In Turkish, the verb often comes at the end, and the words before it can move around depending on emphasis.
How is the ğ in eğlendik pronounced?
The letter ğ in Turkish is called yumuşak g, or soft g. It usually is not pronounced like a hard English g.
In eğlendik, it does not sound like egg-lendik. Instead, it softens or glides the sound. Many learners hear something roughly like:
- eylendik or
- a lengthened vowel before l
You do not need to force a strong consonant there. A soft, smooth pronunciation is best.
Could I also say Dün arkadaşlarla eğlendik without çok?
Yes. That would simply mean:
- Yesterday we had fun with friends.
Adding çok makes it stronger:
- Dün arkadaşlarla eğlendik. = We had fun yesterday with friends.
- Dün arkadaşlarla çok eğlendik. = We had a lot of fun yesterday with friends.
So çok adds intensity, but the sentence is complete without it.
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