Learn Hardcore Turkish: Yaşlılar, yaşamları boyunca topladıkları bilgeliklerini paylaşırlar. - Elders share the wisdom they have gathered throughout their lives.

“Yaşlılar” comes from the adjective yaşlı meaning “old” or “elderly.” The suffix -lar is added to indicate the plural, so “yaşlılar” means “the elderly” or “old people.”

How is the phrase “yaşamları boyunca” constructed and what is its function in the sentence?

“Yaşamları boyunca” literally translates to “throughout their lives.” Here, yaşam means “life,” and -ları shows possession (i.e., “their life/lives”). Boyunca means “throughout” or “for the duration of.” Together, this adverbial phrase specifies the time span over which the action occurs.

What role does “topladıkları” play in the sentence and how is it formed?

“Topladıkları” is a relative clause derived from the verb toplamak (“to collect” or “to gather”). The suffix -dıkları turns the verb into an adjective meaning “that they have collected.” This clause directly modifies bilgeliklerini, specifying which wisdom is being shared.

How is the word “bilgeliklerini” structured and what does it mean?

“Bilgeliklerini” means “their wisdom.” The root bilgelik stands for “wisdom.” The suffix -leri indicates third-person possession (i.e., “their”), and the final vowel -i serves as the accusative marker because the noun is the object of the verb. Thus, it expresses “the wisdom they have” in an object role.

Why does the verb “paylaşırlar” have the ending -lar, and what does this tell us about subject-verb agreement in Turkish?

“Paylaşırlar” is the third-person plural present simple form of paylaşmak (“to share”). The ending -lar on the verb (along with vowel harmony adjustments) agrees with the plural subject yaşlılar. This demonstrates Turkish subject-verb agreement, where the verb’s ending reflects the number (and person) of its subject.