Learn Hardcore Turkish: Gelecek hakkında bazen endişelenmek doğaldır, ama plan yapmak kaygıyı azaltır. - It’s natural to worry about the future sometimes, but planning reduces anxiety.

“Gelecek hakkında” translates to “about the future.” Here, “Gelecek” means “future” and “hakkında” is a postposition meaning “about” or “regarding.” Together, they form a prepositional phrase that tells us what the worry is concerning.

Why is “endişelenmek” in its infinitive form, and what role does it play?

In Turkish, the infinitive form (using “-mek” or “-mak”) often functions as a noun. “Endişelenmek” is the infinitive of the verb “endişelenmek,” meaning “to worry.” In this sentence, it acts as the subject, conveying the idea of “worrying” about the future.

Why does “kaygı” appear as “kaygıyı” in the sentence?

The word “kaygı” means “anxiety” or “worry.” In this sentence, it takes the accusative case because it is the direct object of the verb “azaltır” (reduces). The suffix “-yı” marks it as a definite, specific object in Turkish grammar.

How does the phrase “plan yapmak” function and why is it structured as two words?

“Plan yapmak” literally means “to make a plan” or simply “to plan.” Turkish often uses compound verb phrases where a noun (here, “plan”) is combined with a verb (“yapmak,” meaning “to do/make”) to express an action. In this sentence, it serves as the subject of the second clause, indicating that the act of planning has the effect of reducing anxiety.

What is the role of “ama” in the sentence?

“Ama” means “but” and functions as a coordinating conjunction. It connects and contrasts the two clauses: on one side, it acknowledges that worrying about the future is natural; on the other, it introduces the suggestion that planning can reduce that worry.

How does this sentence illustrate typical Turkish grammatical features?

The sentence highlights several key elements of Turkish grammar: • Postpositional Phrases: “Gelecek hakkında” uses the postposition “hakkında” to indicate topic. • Infinitives as Nouns: Both “endişelenmek” and “plan yapmak” are infinitives functioning as subjects. • Case Suffixes: “Kaygıyı” shows the accusative suffix, marking it as the definite object of “azaltır.” • Conjunctions: “Ama” effectively contrasts two independent clauses. These features combine to form a sentence that is both natural in Turkish and illustrative of its syntactical and morphological characteristics.