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Limon suyu ve sirkeyi salataya gezdirdim.

Limon suyu ve sirkeyi salataya gezdirdim.
I drizzled lemon juice and vinegar over the salad.
FromLesson 47inHardcore Turkish
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Questions & Answers about Limon suyu ve sirkeyi salataya gezdirdim.

Why is sirkeyi marked with the accusative suffix -yi but limon suyu isn’t?
In Turkish, when you have a definite direct object made of two (or more) coordinated nouns, you only attach the accusative suffix to the last noun. Here the phrase limon suyu ve sirkeyi is treated as one definite object (“the lemon juice and vinegar”), so only sirke takes -yi.
What does salataya mean, and why is it in the dative case?
Salataya is salata (“salad”) plus the dative suffix -ya, giving “onto the salad.” The verb gezdirdim (“I drizzled”) needs to show where you drizzled the liquids, so the salad is put in the dative to express direction.
Why use the verb gezdirdim instead of döktüm or serptim?

Gezdirmek is the causative of gezmek (“to roam”), but in cooking it means “to drizzle” or “let drip evenly over.”

  • Dökmek (“to pour”) can imply a heavier or less controlled pour.
  • Serpmek (“to sprinkle”) often means scattering small particles (like seeds or herbs).
    Using gezdirdim conveys a gentle, uniform drizzle over the salad.
How is gezdirdim formed?

Breakdown of gezdirdim:
• gez- (root: “to roam”)
• -dir- (causative suffix: “make/let [something] roam/drip”)
• -di (past tense marker)
• -m (1st person singular suffix)
Put together, gezdirdim literally means “I caused it to roam/drip.”

Why is limon suyu written as two words, and why does suyu end with -u?

Limon suyu is a noun-noun compound meaning “juice of lemon.”
• limon = “lemon”
• su = “water/juice” + 3rd person singular possessive -u ➔ suyu = “its water/juice”
Together they form “lemon juice.”

Can I change the word order, for example put salataya before limon suyu ve sirkeyi?

Yes. Turkish word order is flexible:
• Limon suyu ve sirkeyi salataya gezdirdim. (object → direction → verb)
• Salataya limon suyu ve sirkeyi gezdirdim. (stresses “onto the salad”)
Both mean the same; rearranging elements can shift emphasis or style.

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