Öğrenciler, öğretmene teşekkür ettiklerinde samimi davranırlar.

When the students thank the teacher, they act sincerely.

Breakdown of Öğrenciler, öğretmene teşekkür ettiklerinde samimi davranırlar.

• davranmak: to act
• öğretmen: the teacher
• öğrenci: the student
• -e: to
• teşekkür etmek: to thank

Questions & Answers about Öğrenciler, öğretmene teşekkür ettiklerinde samimi davranırlar.

What is the role of the dative case in öğretmene in the sentence?

Öğretmene is in the dative case, marked by the suffix -e (or -a after certain vowels). This case indicates the indirect object—in this case, it shows that the teacher is the recipient of the action (i.e., “to the teacher”).

How is the temporal clause teşekkür ettiklerinde formed, and what does it signify?

The phrase teşekkür ettiklerinde is created from the verb teşekkür etmek (“to thank”). By taking its past tense form (etti) and adding the suffix -diklerinde, the verb is transformed into a subordinate temporal clause that means “when they thank.” This construction signals that the action in the main clause happens at the time the thanking occurs.

Why does the subordinate clause use a past form while the main clause uses the present (aorist) form?

In Turkish, it’s common for subordinate time clauses to use a past-based construction—even if the action is habitual or general—to express “when” something happens. The -diklerinde form does this job in the subordinate clause. Meanwhile, the main clause davranırlar employs the aorist (simple present) tense to indicate habitual or general behavior. This combination tells us that whenever the students thank the teacher, they habitually behave sincerely.

What does the adjective samimi mean in this context and how is it used?

Samimi translates to “sincere” or “genuine.” In the sentence, it functions as an adjective describing the manner in which the students behave. It emphasizes that their behavior is heartfelt and authentic when they thank the teacher.

Can you explain the overall structure of the sentence Öğrenciler, öğretmene teşekkür ettiklerinde samimi davranırlar?

Certainly. The sentence is structured in three parts:

1. Öğrenciler – This is the subject (“students”).
2. Öğretmene teşekkür ettiklerinde – This is a subordinate temporal clause. Öğretmene (to the teacher) uses the dative case to indicate the recipient, and teşekkür ettiklerinde (when they thank) is formed by converting the verb teşekkür etmek into a temporal clause.
3. Samimi davranırlar – This is the main clause. Davranırlar (they behave) is in the aorist tense, expressing a habitual action, while samimi describes the quality of their behavior. Altogether, the sentence means “When students thank the teacher, they behave sincerely.”