Learn Hardcore Turkish: Takım, maç sırasında savunma stratejisini değiştirdi. - The team changed its defensive strategy during the game.

“Maç sırasında” is an adverbial phrase that indicates when the action took place. It combines “maç” (match) with “sırasında”, meaning "during," so the phrase tells us that the team changed its strategy during the match.

Why is there a comma after “Takım” in the sentence?

The comma after “Takım” is used to set off the subject for emphasis or clarity. In Turkish, while commas are not always mandatory after the subject, writers sometimes insert one to create a brief pause or to highlight the subsequent time-related detail that follows.

What does the suffix “-i” in “savunma stratejisini” indicate?

The suffix “-i” marks “savunma stratejisi” as a definite direct object of the verb. In Turkish, when the object is specific or known from context, it receives an object marker. Here, it shows that the team changed a particular (i.e., its own) defense strategy.

How is the compound noun “savunma stratejisi” structured, and what does it mean?

“Savunma stratejisi” is a compound noun composed of “savunma” (defense) and “strateji” (strategy) with a possessive suffix “-si” attached. This formation indicates "its defense strategy," where the possession is understood (typically belonging to the subject, the team). Additionally, the object marker “-ni” is added at the end, making it “savunma stratejisini” to signal that it is the object of the verb.

What verb tense is used in “değiştirdi,” and what does it tell us about the action?

The verb “değiştirdi” is in the simple past tense (3rd person singular), meaning "changed." This tells us that the action of changing the defense strategy occurred at a specific time in the past—specifically, during the match as indicated by “maç sırasında.”