Learn Hardcore Turkish: Hastalığa rağmen, sen azimle ilerlemeyi seçtin. - Despite your illness, you chose to persevere.

Hastalığa derives from the noun hastalık (meaning illness) with the dative suffix -a, which indicates a direction or reference point in certain expressions. When combined with rağmen (“despite”), the phrase hastalığa rağmen translates literally to “despite the illness,” used to set a contrasting condition for the main action.

What does azimle mean, and what role does the suffix -le play in this word?

Azim means “determination,” and the suffix -le translates as “with” or “by means of.” Together, azimle conveys the idea of performing an action “with determination,” showing the manner in which the action is undertaken.

Why is ilerlemeyi used instead of the simple verb form of ilerlemek in this sentence?

The form ilerlemeyi is a nominalized version of the verb ilerlemek (“to progress”), where the -yi suffix marks it as an object. Here, it functions as the object of seçtin (the past form of “to choose”), effectively meaning “to progress” in the sense of “choosing to progress.”

What is the function of the pronoun sen in the sentence, and is it necessary to include it?

Sen means “you” and serves as the subject of the sentence. Although Turkish verb conjugations inherently indicate the subject—making personal pronouns optional—using sen can add emphasis or clarity, ensuring that the listener explicitly knows who performed the action.

What does seçtin indicate in terms of tense and person?

Seçtin is the simple past form of the verb seçmek (“to choose”) conjugated for the second person singular. This tells us that the action was completed in the past and that “you” are the one who made the choice.

How does the word order in this Turkish sentence compare to English, especially regarding emphasis?

In Turkish, adverbial phrases like hastalığa rağmen (“despite the illness”) are often placed at the beginning of the sentence to foreground the condition being contrasted. While English can adopt a similar structure, it is more flexible in word order. In this case, the Turkish structure emphasizes the challenge (illness) that was overcome by the deliberate choice to progress.