……
Breakdown of Elektrikli süpürge bozulunca, eski süpürgeyi kullanmaya başladım.
kullanmak
to use
eski
old
başlamak
to start
bozulmak
to break down
-unca
when
elektrikli
electric
süpürge
the vacuum cleaner
Questions & Answers about Elektrikli süpürge bozulunca, eski süpürgeyi kullanmaya başladım.
What does the -ınca suffix in bozulunca mean, and why is it -unca here rather than -ince?
- Meaning: -ınca is an adverbial conjunction suffix that turns a verb into a “when…” clause. So bozul- (to break down) + -unca = “when it broke down.”
- Vowel harmony: Turkish suffixes mirror the vowels in the stem. bozul has the back vowel u, so we use the back‐vowel form -unca (not the front‐vowel form -ince).
Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before elektrikli süpürge?
Turkish does not have articles. Definite vs. indefinite is shown by context and by case endings. A bare noun can mean “a/an” or “the” depending on whether it’s marked (e.g. with the accusative) or unmarked.
Why does eski süpürge take the -yi ending in eski süpürgeyi?
Because it’s a definite direct object. In Turkish, specific objects get the accusative suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü (here -yi after the vowel e), so “the old vacuum” becomes eski süpürge + -yi.
How is kullanmaya başladım formed, and what does it mean literally?
This is the pattern (verb stem) + -ma/meye + başlamak, meaning “to start doing something.”
- kullan- = use
- -ma = noun-forming (turns “use” into “using”)
- -ya = dative/purpose marker (“in order to”)
- başladım = “I started”
Literally: “I started to (the) using,” i.e. “I started to use (it).”
Why is the subject pronoun “I” not written in the sentence?
In Turkish, the verb ending shows the subject. başladım ends in -ım, marking 1st person singular, so ben (“I”) is omitted.
Could I use bozulduğunda instead of bozulunca here?
Yes. bozulduğunda (bozul- + -duğu + -nda) also means “when it broke.” It’s slightly more formal or explicit, but you can say:
Elektrikli süpürge bozulduğunda, eski süpürgeyi kullanmaya başladım.
Why do adjectives like elektrikli and eski come before the noun, and can I say süpürge elektrikli?
- Attributive adjectives in Turkish precede the noun: elektrikli süpürge, eski süpürge.
- süpürge elektrikli without a verb would be read as a full clause (“The vacuum is electric”), not as a noun phrase. To attribute “electric” to “vacuum” inside a noun phrase, you must say elektrikli süpürge.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Turkish grammar?”
Turkish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning TurkishMaster Turkish — from Elektrikli süpürge bozulunca, eski süpürgeyi kullanmaya başladım to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions