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Questions & Answers about Yemekten sonra mutfak zeminini süpürgeyle temizledim, zemin pürüzsüz ve tozsuz kaldı.
Why is yemekten sonra used to say “after the meal”? What do the -den suffix and sonra each do?
yemekten = yemek (meal/eating) + ablative suffix -den (“from, after” in time expressions). Adding sonra (“after”) gives “from the meal” + “after” = “after the meal.” In Turkish you stack [noun + ‑den] + sonra to mean “after ….” You cannot swap them to sonra yemekten in standard usage.
What does süpürgeyle mean, and why the suffix -yle?
süpürge = vacuum cleaner or broom. The suffix -yle is the instrumental case meaning “with.” Due to vowel harmony you add a buffer consonant y. So süpürgeyle = “with a vacuum cleaner.” You could also say süpürge ile (keeping ile separate), but attached form is more concise.
Why is it mutfak zeminini instead of just mutfak zemini? What’s the -i for?
mutfak zemini = “kitchen floor.” When you mark a definite direct object, you add the accusative suffix -i (or -ı/-u/-ü by vowel harmony). So mutfak zeminini = “the kitchen floor” (specific), showing what you cleaned.
Why is zemin (floor) repeated in the second clause without any suffix?
The second zemin is the subject of kaldı (“remained”). Subjects in Turkish are in the nominative case (no suffix). You could also drop it entirely—“pürüzsüz ve tozsuz kaldı”—because Turkish allows null subjects, but repeating zemin adds clarity/emphasis: “the floor remained smooth and dust-free.”
What does kaldı mean in zemin pürüzsüz ve tozsuz kaldı? Why not pürüzsüz ve tozsuz oldu?
kalmak means “to remain” or “to stay.” Here kaldı implies “it stayed/remained in that state after cleaning.” olmak means “to become.” If you said “pürüzsüz ve tozsuz oldu”, it’d simply mean “it became smooth and dust-free,” focusing on the change rather than the continued state.
How do pürüzsüz and tozsuz work? What’s the role of -suz/-süz?
-suz/-süz is a suffix that turns a noun into an adjective meaning “without [that noun].” It obeys vowel harmony:
• pürüz (roughness) + süz (front vowel harmony) = pürüzsüz (“without roughness” = smooth)
• toz (dust) + suz (back vowel harmony) = tozsuz (“dust-free”)
Can I say Süpürgeyle mutfak zeminini temizledim or reorder it differently?
Yes. Turkish word order is flexible. Neutral pattern is Subject – (time/manner/instrument) – Object – Verb. So you can say:
• Mutfak zeminini süpürgeyle temizledim.
• Süpürgeyle mutfak zeminini temizledim.
Both mean “I cleaned the kitchen floor with a vacuum.” Shifting the instrument first can slightly emphasize the tool.
Could I use mutfağın zemini instead of mutfak zemini? Any difference?
mutfağın zemini literally is “the kitchen’s floor” (genitive -ın + possessive -i). mutfak zemini is a compound noun “kitchen floor.” Both are correct; the genitive form highlights possession, while the compound is more concise and equally common.
Why use temizledim instead of süpürdüm when I’m talking about sweeping?
süpürmek does mean “to sweep,” but pairing temizlemek (“to clean”) with süpürgeyle (“with a vacuum/broom”) explicitly tells you cleaned it using that tool—rather than, say, dusted by hand. If you say “mutfak zeminini süpürdüm”, listeners know you swept it, but “süpürgeyle temizledim” emphasizes the cleaning action performed with a vacuum cleaner (or broom).