Ekmek tüketimini azaltmak istiyorsanız, porsiyon başına kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarına dikkat etmelisiniz.

If you want to reduce bread consumption, you should pay attention to the number of calories and carbohydrates per portion.

Breakdown of Ekmek tüketimini azaltmak istiyorsanız, porsiyon başına kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarına dikkat etmelisiniz.

• ekmek: the bread
• ve: and
• istemek: to want
• dikkat etmek: to pay attention
• azaltmak: to reduce
• tüketim: the consumption
• -se: if
• porsiyon: the portion
• karbonhidrat: the carbohydrate
• kalori: the calorie
• miktar: the amount

Questions & Answers about Ekmek tüketimini azaltmak istiyorsanız, porsiyon başına kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarına dikkat etmelisiniz.

Why is ekmek tüketimini used instead of ekmeğin tüketimini or tüketiminiz?

Turkish allows two ways to say “consumption of bread”:

• Attributive noun-noun compound: ekmek tüketimi (“bread consumption”). To make it a definite object of azaltmak, add the accusative suffix -i to the head noun → tüketimi, giving ekmek tüketimini.
• Genitive-possessive construction: ekmeğin tüketimi (“the consumption of the bread”).

Both are correct; the compound is more concise. Tüketiminiz would mean “your consumption,” which isn’t intended here.

What is the structure and meaning of azaltmak istiyorsanız?

This combines the infinitive azaltmak (“to reduce”) with istemek (“to want”) in the conditional. Breakdown:
• azaltmak = “to reduce” (infinitive)
• istiyorsanız = istiyor- (present continuous of “want”) + conditional -sanız (“if you [plural/formal] want”)
Together: azaltmak istiyorsanız = “if you want to reduce.”

What does porsiyon başına mean, and how is -başına used here?

• porsiyon = “portion”
• -başına (from baş “head” + dative -ına) = “per,” literally “for each head.”
So porsiyon başına = “per portion.” This pattern appears in phrases like kilogram başına (“per kilogram”).

How is kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarına formed to mean “to the amount of calories and carbohydrates”?

1. Express “amount of X and Y” by placing kalori ve karbonhidrat before miktar and adding the 3rd-person singular possessive -ı to miktar → kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarı (“the amount of calories and carbohydrates”).
2. Because dikkat etmek (“to pay attention”) takes its object in the dative, add -na: miktar
   • -ı
     • -na → miktarına.
       Result: kalori ve karbonhidrat miktarına = “to the amount of calories and carbohydrates.”

Why is miktarına in the dative case here?

The verb dikkat etmek (“to pay attention”) requires its object in the dative case. You attach -a/-e to the noun (here miktar), but since miktar already has the possessive suffix -ı, the full form is miktarına.

What is the role of -meli/-malı in dikkat etmelisiniz, and why is -siniz used?

• -meli/-malı expresses obligation or advice (“should/must”).
• et = “do” (root of etmek)
• -siniz = 2nd-person plural/formal ending (“you”).
So et-melisiniz = “you should do.” Together, dikkat etmelisiniz = “you should pay attention.”

Why is there a comma after istiyorsanız?

In Turkish, a comma often separates a subordinate clause (here the conditional -sa clause) from the main clause. After azaltmak istiyorsanız (“if you want to reduce”), the comma signals the start of the main clause (porsiyon başına … dikkat etmelisiniz).

Is dikkat etmelisiniz formal or informal, and how would you say it informally?

-siniz is the polite/formal 2nd-person plural ending. To address one person informally, you use -sin, giving dikkat etmelisin (“you should pay attention,” informal singular).