Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kardeşim kararlı, her sabah koşuyor. - My sibling is determined, he runs every morning.

Kardeşim translates to “my sibling.” The base noun kardeş means “sibling,” and the suffix -im indicates possession (i.e. “my”). This formation is common in Turkish to express possession directly on the noun.

What does kararlı mean in this sentence?

Kararlı means “determined” or “resolute.” In the sentence, it describes the character or attitude of the sibling, indicating that they are someone who is firm or decisive.

How is the habitual action expressed in the phrase her sabah koşuyor?

The phrase her sabah means “every morning” (with her meaning “every” and sabah meaning “morning”), while koşuyor is the present continuous form of “to run.” Together, they indicate that the sibling runs every morning as part of a habitual routine.

How is the present continuous tense formed in koşuyor?

Turkish forms the present continuous tense by adding the suffix -yor (with appropriate vowel harmony) to the verb stem. In koşuyor, the stem koş- (meaning “to run”) receives the suffix -uyor, which, combined with context, means “runs” or “is running.” The subject is implied by the verb’s conjugation, so an explicit pronoun is not necessary.

Why is a comma used in the sentence, and what purpose does it serve?

The comma separates two related parts of the sentence. The first part (kardeşim kararlı) offers a description of the sibling’s nature, while the second part (her sabah koşuyor) describes their habitual action. This punctuation choice helps to clearly distinguish the complementary pieces of information.

Why is the subject pronoun not explicitly stated in the sentence?

In Turkish, verb conjugations include information about the subject. Since koşuyor ends in a form that indicates a third-person singular subject, it is understood that the action refers back to kardeşim. This redundancy is typically avoided, which is why the subject pronoun is omitted.