Breakdown of Başarılı olduğumda beni gurur kaplıyor, ama asla kibirlenmemeye çalışıyorum.
olmak
to be
ama
but
beni
me
çalışmak
to try
asla
never
başarılı
successful
kibirlenmek
to become arrogant
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Questions & Answers about Başarılı olduğumda beni gurur kaplıyor, ama asla kibirlenmemeye çalışıyorum.
What does gurur kaplamak literally mean, and how should it be understood in this context?
The phrase gurur kaplamak literally translates as “pride covers” (with gurur meaning “pride” and kaplamak meaning “to cover” or “to overwhelm”). In this context, it expresses that when the speaker is successful, they feel overcome by pride—that is, their pride takes control or “seizes” them.
How is the time clause Başarılı olduğumda constructed, and what does it signify?
Başarılı olduğumda means “when I am successful.” It is formed by the adjective başarılı (“successful”) followed by the relative clause of olmak (“to be”) with the first-person suffix (-duğum) and the time marker -da. This construction indicates a specific time or condition (i.e., success) under which the main statement applies.
Why is the pronoun beni used in beni gurur kaplıyor instead of using a subject pronoun?
In Turkish, experiences like feeling pride are often expressed as actions happening to the person rather than actions performed by the person. Here, gurur is the subject that “covers” or overwhelms, and beni (the accusative form of “I”) is the object receiving the effect. This structure shows that pride is acting upon the speaker.
How is the negative form in kibirlenmemeye formed, and what does it mean?
The verb kibirlenmek means “to become arrogant.” To express “not to become arrogant,” the negative suffix -me is added, forming kibirlenmemek. In the sentence, kibirlenmemeye is the dative form of this negative infinitive, used after the verb çalışıyorum (“I try”) to indicate that the speaker actively attempts to avoid becoming arrogant.
What role does çalışıyorum play in the sentence, and what does its tense indicate?
Çalışıyorum is in the present continuous tense, meaning “I am trying” or “I try.” Although morphologically it is present continuous, it often conveys a habitual or ongoing effort. In this sentence, it emphasizes that the speaker consistently makes an effort to avoid arrogance whenever success triggers pride.
Why is the negative used in the construction asla kibirlenmemeye çalışıyorum instead of simply saying a positive form?
The negative construction kibirlenmemeye (“not to become arrogant”) is intentional. It clarifies that despite being overcome by pride, the speaker consciously works to prevent that pride from turning into arrogance. The use of asla (“never” or “at no time”) further reinforces this resolve by indicating that, under no circumstances, will the speaker allow pride to evolve into arrogance.