Learn Hardcore Turkish: Tarayıcıyı çalıştırmadan önce cihazın tüm donanım bileşenlerini kontrol etmelisiniz. - You must check all hardware components of the device before operating the scanner.

çalıştır- (verb root: "to run/operate/start")
-madan (converbial suffix: "without doing"/classical “when not doing”, but in combination with önce it yields “before doing”)
önce ("before")

Together, çalıştırmadan önce means “before starting (or operating) [something].” In Turkish, the pattern Verb + -meden/ meden + önce is the standard way to say “before doing [verb].”

Why is Tarayıcıyı in the accusative case (with -yı)?

In Turkish, definite direct objects take the accusative suffix. Here, Tarayıcı (“the scanner”) is a specific device you will run, so it’s marked with -yı (after a vowel) as Tarayıcıyı. This signals “the scanner” as the direct object of çalıştırmak (“to run/start”).

Why is cihazın in the genitive case (with -ın)?

cihazın is the genitive form of cihaz (“device”). When you talk about the components of the device, Turkish uses the genitive case on the possessor noun (cihazın) plus a possessive suffix on the possessed noun (bileşenleri). This is how you say “the device’s components.”

What does tüm add to donanım bileşenlerini, and how would the meaning change if it weren’t there?

tüm means “all” or “entire.” It emphasizes that every hardware component must be checked. Without tüm, donanım bileşenlerini kontrol etmelisiniz would mean “you should check the hardware components,” which could imply just some of them. Adding tüm makes it clear you need to check all components.

What does donanım bileşenleri literally mean, and why is it plural?

donanım means “hardware”
bileşen means “component”

Combined as donanım bileşeni it’s “hardware component.” Since we’re talking about all components, it’s pluralized to bileşenleri (with -ler for plural and -i for the accusative/possessive structure).

Why is bileşenlerini marked with both a plural suffix and accusative/possessive endings?

The word bileşenlerini breaks down as:

bileşen (component)
-ler (plural) → bileşenler (“components”)
-i (accusative) → bileşenleri (“the components” as a definite object)
-niz (2nd person plural/formal possessive) → bileşenleriniz (“your components”)
-i (linking vowel for the following accusative/definiteness) → bileşenlerinizi

However, in this sentence, the “your” is implied by the context and the verb form; Turkish often omits redundant possessive pronouns. The key point is that -ler makes it plural and -i marks it as a definite object.

What does the verb form kontrol etmelisiniz express, and why isn’t a simple imperative like kontrol edin used?

kontrol etmelisiniz is the necessity/modality form using -meli/-malı plus the polite 2nd-person plural suffix -siniz. It means “you must/should check.” A simple imperative kontrol edin means “check!” but can sound more like a direct command. kontrol etmelisiniz is softer and expresses obligation or advice: “you should/must check.”