Breakdown of Ben işten sonra yürüyüş yapıp derin nefes alarak sakinleşmek istiyorum.
ben
I
yapmak
to do
istemek
to want
yürüyüş
the walk
sonra
after
almak
to take
derin
deep
nefes
the breath
-arak
by
-ten
from
iş
the work
sakinleşmek
to calm down
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Questions & Answers about Ben işten sonra yürüyüş yapıp derin nefes alarak sakinleşmek istiyorum.
What does each part of the sentence mean in English?
The sentence translates to "I want to calm down by going for a walk and taking deep breaths after work." Here’s a breakdown:
• Ben – “I”
• işten sonra – “after work”
• yürüyüş yapıp – “go for a walk” (with the -ıp suffix linking this action to the next)
• derin nefes alarak – “by taking deep breaths” (using the -arak suffix to indicate the manner or means)
• sakinleşmek – “to calm down”
• istiyorum – “I want”
Why is the suffix -ıp used in "yürüyüş yapıp" and how does it work?
The suffix -ıp (along with its vowel-harmonized variants like -ip) is used to string together sequential actions. In this sentence, it links yürüyüş yapmak (“to go for a walk”) with the following phrase derin nefes alarak (“by taking deep breaths”). It functions much like the word “and” or a connector indicating “after doing the first action, then doing the next.”
What role does the -arak suffix play in "derin nefes alarak"?
The -arak suffix converts the verb nefes almak (“to take a breath”) into an adverbial participle. This construction explains the manner or means by which the subject plans to calm down—in this case, “by taking deep breaths.” It answers the question “how?” the action of calming down is achieved.
Why is "sakinleşmek" in its infinitive form in this sentence?
In Turkish, when you express a desire or intention with a modal verb like istiyorum (“I want”), the action you wish to perform follows in the infinitive form. Thus, sakinleşmek (“to calm down”) is used because it represents the action that the speaker wants to carry out.
Why is the subject "Ben" explicitly stated at the beginning of the sentence even though Turkish often drops subject pronouns?
Although Turkish is a pro-drop language and often omits subject pronouns when the meaning is clear from context, including "Ben" emphasizes the speaker and clarifies that it is I who is performing these actions. This explicit mention can be especially helpful for language learners who are still getting accustomed to the sentence structure.