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Breakdown of Priz arızalandığında mutfaktaki mikser çalışmıyor.
çalışmak
to work
mutfak
the kitchen
-ta
in
-ki
that
-dığında
when
mikser
the mixer
priz
the outlet
arızalanmak
to malfunction
Questions & Answers about Priz arızalandığında mutfaktaki mikser çalışmıyor.
What does arızalanmak mean in this sentence?
Arızalanmak is a verb meaning “to break down” or “to malfunction.” It comes from arıza (“fault, breakdown”) + -lan (a passive/reflective suffix) + -mak (infinitive). Here it describes the outlet itself becoming faulty.
How does the suffix -(d)ığında in arızalandığında work?
The suffix -(d)ığında turns a verb into a “when/whenever” time clause. Breakdown:
- arızalan- = “it malfunctions” (verb stem + passive)
- ‑dı = simple past marker → arızalandı (“it malfunctioned”)
- ‑ğında = “when” suffix (with buffer g to ease pronunciation) So arızalandığında literally means “when it has malfunctioned” or simply “when it malfunctions.”
Why is there no article (like “the”) before priz or mikser?
Turkish does not use definite or indefinite articles like the or a. Nouns appear in their plain form with case/endings. Context (word order plus suffixes) tells you whether something is definite. Here both priz and mikser are understood as “the outlet” and “the mixer.”
What is the structure of mutfaktaki and how does it mean “in the kitchen”?
Mutfaktaki breaks down into:
- mutfak (“kitchen”)
- -ta (locative case “in/at”)
- -ki (relative adjective suffix “that/which is”) Combined, mutfaktaki mikser means “the mixer that is in the kitchen.”
Why is mikser not marked plural (no “-ler”)?
We’re referring to one specific mixer, so it stays singular. In Turkish you only add -ler/-lar when you mean “multiple mixers.” If you said mutfaktaki mikserler, it would mean “the mixers in the kitchen.”
Why is the verb çalışmıyor in present continuous negative, rather than simple present?
Turkish uses the present continuous (-yor) to describe both ongoing actions and general states. Çalışmıyor literally means “is not working” but also functions as “doesn’t work” in everyday speech. The negative is formed by inserting mı/mu/me/ma before -yor.
Can I change the word order, or does it have to be exactly Priz arızalandığında mutfaktaki mikser çalışmıyor?
Turkish is fairly flexible, but subordinate clauses (like Priz arızalandığında) typically come first if you want to express “when…” clearly. You could say Mutfaktaki mikser, priz arızalandığında, çalışmıyor, but the original order is the most natural:
• Subordinate clause → main clause.
This keeps the “when” information up front, followed by the result.
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