Learn Hardcore Turkish: Arkadaşım bana ilham veriyor.

The -ım suffix attaches to the noun arkadaş (friend) to show possession, meaning “my friend.” In Turkish, possessive relationships are expressed by adding the appropriate suffix directly to the noun.

What role does bana play in this sentence?

Bana is the dative form of ben (I/me) and indicates the indirect object—“to me.” It shows who is receiving the inspiration in the sentence.

How is the continuous aspect conveyed in veriyor?

The verb form veriyor is derived from the stem ver- (to give) with the present continuous suffix -iyor. This construction denotes an ongoing action, translating to “is giving” or, idiomatically, “inspires.”

Why is the idea of “inspiring” expressed with a verb meaning “giving” in Turkish?

In Turkish, it is common to express certain abstract actions in a figurative way. The phrase ilham veriyor literally means “gives inspiration.” Although the direct translation is different from English, the meaning is equivalent to “inspires,” reflecting an idiomatic usage in Turkish.

Why is the subject pronoun (e.g., “he” or “she”) not explicitly mentioned here?

Turkish often omits subject pronouns because the verb conjugation already provides information about the subject. In veriyor, the ending implies a third-person singular subject, making an explicit pronoun unnecessary.