Learn Hardcore Turkish: Yağmura rağmen, parkta yürüdüm. - Despite the rain, I walked in the park.

It means “Despite the rain, I walked in the park.” The phrase “yağmura rağmen” translates as “despite the rain” and “parkta yürüdüm” means “I walked in the park.”

Why is the noun “yağmur” in the form “yağmura” in this expression?

In Turkish, the construction for “despite” follows the pattern “X'e/a rağmen.” Here, “yağmur” (rain) takes the dative case by adding the suffix “-a,” resulting in “yağmura.” This form is required to express the idea of “in spite of the rain.”

What is the function of “rağmen” in this phrase, and can it be replaced with another word?

“Rağmen” means “despite” or “in spite of,” and it connects the subordinate clause to the main clause by showing contrast. An alternative you might encounter is “karşın” (e.g., “yağmura karşın”), which has a similar meaning.

How does the locative case work in “parkta”?

The suffix “-ta” indicates the locative case in Turkish, which tells us where an action takes place. “Parkta” means “in the park,” clearly specifying the location of the walking action.

How is the verb “yürüdüm” formed, and what does it tell us about tense and subject?

“Yürüdüm” is the past simple tense form of the verb “yürümek” (to walk) in the first-person singular. The ending “-düm” indicates that the action happened in the past and that it was performed by “I.” Turkish often applies vowel harmony and consonant mutation rules when forming such verb endings.

Why isn’t the subject “I” explicitly mentioned in the sentence?

Turkish is a pro-drop language, meaning that subject pronouns can be omitted when the verb’s conjugation already indicates the subject. In “yürüdüm,” the ending makes it clear that the speaker is referring to “I,” so including the pronoun “ben” is optional.