Yardımcı olmak istiyorsan önce ellerini temiz yıka, sonra masa hazırlamaya başla.

to be

Breakdown of Yardımcı olmak istiyorsan önce ellerini temiz yıka, sonra masa hazırlamaya başla.

• istemek: to want
• sonra: then
• masa: the table
• hazırlamak: to prepare
• temiz: clean
• yardımcı: helpful
• önce: first
• el: the hand
• yıkamak: to wash
• başlamak: to start

Questions & Answers about Yardımcı olmak istiyorsan önce ellerini temiz yıka, sonra masa hazırlamaya başla.

What does “yardımcı olmak istiyorsan” mean, and how is it structured?

It means “if you want to help”. The phrase combines “yardımcı olmak” (“to help”) with “istiyorsan”, which is the second-person singular conditional form of “istemek” (“to want”). This conditional construction sets up a prerequisite for the following actions.

What is the function of “önce” and “sonra” in the sentence?

“Önce” and “sonra” indicate the sequence of actions. “Önce” means “first” and tells you to wash your hands, while “sonra” means “then” and signals that after washing, you should start preparing the table.

How is “ellerini” formed, and what does it represent?

“Ellerini” comes from “el” (hand) with the plural form “eller”. The suffix “-in” attaches to show possession (i.e., “your”), making it “your hands”. In Turkish, possessor markers are typically added to body parts.

Why are “yıka” and “başla” used in their specific forms?

Both “yıka” (from “yıkamak”) and “başla” (from “başlamak”) are in the imperative form, issuing direct commands. They instruct the listener to “wash” and “begin” (or “start”) the respective actions.

What is the role of the “-maya” ending in “hazırlamaya başla”?

The “-maya” ending transforms “hazırlamak” (“to prepare”) into an infinitive-like form that functions as the object of “başla”. Together, “hazırlamaya başla” means “begin to prepare” (in this case, the table).

Why is the subject omitted in the commands?

Turkish imperatives naturally omit the subject because the command form inherently addresses the second person (i.e., “you”). This is common in Turkish, as the verb form already implies who should perform the action.

Why is a comma used between the two commands?

The comma separates the two sequential instructions. It clarifies that first you should wash your hands and then you should start preparing the table, making the directive easier to follow.