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Questions & Answers about Radyo sinyalini alıyorum.
What does the suffix -ini on sinyal indicate?
It’s actually two suffixes in a row: first, -i marks the 3rd-person singular possessive (“the radio’s signal”), and then -ni is the accusative case marker showing that this “radio’s signal” is a definite direct object.
Why isn’t there a -nun on radyo to mark possession?
In fully standard Turkish you would say radyo’nun sinyalini, but in casual or spoken Turkish the genitive -nun is often dropped when the possessor is clear from context.
Is the accusative suffix -i always required? Couldn’t I just say radyo sinyali alıyorum?
The accusative suffix marks that you’re receiving a specific signal (“the radio’s signal”). Without it—radyo sinyali alıyorum—you’d sound like you mean “I receive some generic radio signal,” and in this context you normally use the suffix to show it’s a particular, known signal.
How exactly is the verb alıyorum constructed?
Start with the root al- (to take/receive), add the present‐continuous suffix -ıyor (vowel‐harmonized to alıyor), then the 1st-person singular ending -um, yielding al + ıyor + um = alıyorum (“I am receiving”).
Why does alıyorum appear at the end of the sentence?
Turkish follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) order. The finite verb almost always comes last: Radyo (subject) sinyalini (object) alıyorum (verb).
Does almak here just mean “to take”?
No—in contexts like signals, almak means “to pick up” or “to receive.” You’re not physically grabbing anything, you’re receiving a radio signal.
How would I say “I can receive any radio signal” (indefinite object + ability)?
Drop the accusative for indefiniteness (radyo sinyali), add the ability suffix -ebil-, and keep the 1st-person ending: Radyo sinyali alabiliyorum (“I can pick up any radio signal”).