Learn Hardcore Turkish: Toplantıda, yeni proje hakkında faydalı öneriler sunuldu ve arkadaşımın önerisini dinledikten sonra planımızı değiştirdik. - Useful suggestions about the new project were offered at the meeting, and after listening to my friend’s suggestion, we changed our plan.

Toplantıda translates to “at the meeting” or “in the meeting.” It is formed from the noun toplantı (“meeting”) by adding the locative suffix -da, which indicates location. The choice of -da is also subject to vowel harmony in Turkish.

How is the passive voice used in the clause faydalı öneriler sunuldu?

In this clause, sunuldu is the past passive form of the verb sunmak (“to offer” or “to present”). By using the passive form, the sentence emphasizes that useful suggestions were presented without specifying who presented them. This omission of the explicit subject is a common feature in Turkish to focus on the action rather than the doer.

What does the phrase yeni proje hakkında indicate, and why is hakkında placed after yeni proje?

The phrase yeni proje hakkında means “about the new project.” In Turkish, the postposition hakkında (meaning “about” or “concerning”) follows the noun or noun phrase it modifies. Here, it links the discussion (suggestions) directly to the “new project,” reflecting the typical postpositional structure of Turkish.

How is possession expressed in the phrase arkadaşımın önerisini?

In arkadaşımın önerisini, the word arkadaşımın means “my friend’s” and shows possession by attaching the possessive suffix -ım to arkadaş along with the genitive marker -ın. Then, önerisini (“suggestion”) takes the accusative marker -i because it is the direct object of the verb implied by listening (dinlemek). Together, the phrase means “my friend’s suggestion.”

What does the construction dinledikten sonra signify, and how is it formed?

Dinledikten sonra means “after listening” or “after having listened.” It is constructed by taking the verb dinlemek (“to listen”) and adding the participial suffix -dikten, which implies “after having done [the action].” The word sonra means “after.” This combination forms a temporal clause that indicates the action took place following the listening of the suggestion.

How is the action “changed our plan” expressed in planımızı değiştirdik?

Planımızı değiştirdik translates to “we changed our plan.” Here, planımızı is “our plan” with plan receiving the possessive suffix -ımız (“our”) and the accusative case marker -ı to indicate it is the direct object. The verb değiştirdik is in the simple past tense with the first-person plural ending -dik, showing that “we” performed the action of changing.

Why is the subject omitted in the first clause of the sentence, and is that typical in Turkish?

The subject is omitted in the clause with sunuldu because Turkish often drops the subject when it is clear from context or when the focus is on the action rather than on who performed it. This is especially common in passive constructions, where the emphasis is on what was done (i.e., the presentation of the useful suggestions) rather than who did it.