Yıllar sonra, eski dostuma olan derin özlemimi hissettim.

Breakdown of Yıllar sonra, eski dostuma olan derin özlemimi hissettim.

olmak
to be
benim
my
eski
old
sonra
after
hissetmek
to feel
derin
deep
yıl
the year
dost
the friend
-a
to
özlem
the longing
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Questions & Answers about Yıllar sonra, eski dostuma olan derin özlemimi hissettim.

What does Yıllar sonra mean, and how is it used in this sentence?
Yıllar sonra literally means “years later” or “after years.” It serves as an adverbial phrase setting the time context by indicating that the action described in the sentence happens after a long period.
Why is eski dostuma in the dative case, and what does that indicate?
In Turkish, the dative case is used to show the target or direction of an emotion or action. Eski dostuma is formed by taking dost (“friend”) with the possessive and dative suffixes, indicating “to/for my old friend.” This construction shows that the deep longing is directed toward the old friend.
What role does olan play in the phrase eski dostuma olan derin özlemimi?
Olan acts as a relative clause marker that connects eski dostuma with derin özlemimi. It essentially means “that is for” or “which is related to,” clarifying that the deep longing is specifically about the old friend.
How is derin özlemimi constructed, and why does it have both a possessive and an accusative suffix?
Özlem means “longing,” and derin modifies it to mean “deep.” The suffix -im attached to özlem indicates possession (“my longing”), and the accusative ending -i marks it as the direct object of the verb. Thus, özlemimi translates to “my longing,” with both possession and object status clearly indicated.
How is the past tense expressed in this sentence?
The past tense is conveyed by the verb hissettim. The root hisset- means “to feel,” and the ending -tim signals that the action was performed by the first-person singular in the past, translating to “I felt.”
Could you explain the overall structure of the sentence?

Certainly. The sentence is structured as follows: • Yıllar sonra sets the temporal context. • Eski dostuma olan derin özlemimi is the object of the sentence, where:   - Eski dostuma (in dative) shows the target of longing.   - Olan links the target to the object.   - Derin özlemimi (with possessive and accusative suffixes) means “my deep longing.” • Hissettim is the main verb indicating the action “I felt.”

Why is there a comma after Yıllar sonra?
The comma after Yıllar sonra separates the introductory time phrase from the main clause. This punctuation improves clarity by distinguishing the time context (“after years”) from the emotional action that follows.
How does Turkish express possession in özlemimi compared to English?
In Turkish, possession is expressed by attaching a suffix directly to the noun. In özlemimi, the base word özlem (“longing”) gains the possessive suffix -im to indicate “my longing,” and the accusative ending -i marks it as the object. This is different from English, where a separate possessive adjective like “my” precedes the noun.
What overall meaning does the sentence convey?
The sentence translates to “Years later, I felt my deep longing for my old friend.” It expresses that, after many years, the speaker experienced a profound emotional yearning directed towards an old friend.