Breakdown of Asıl amaç, sürdürülebilir başarıya ulaşmaktır.
Questions & Answers about Asıl amaç, sürdürülebilir başarıya ulaşmaktır.
What does asıl mean in this sentence?
Why is there a comma after amaç?
What does the ending -maktır do in ulaşmaktır?
The form -maktır is made of:
• the infinitive suffix -mak / -mek, plus
• the copula -tır / -tir (with vowel harmony).
Together they create a nominalized verb meaning “to do X is…” or “the act of X is…”. In English we’d translate “Asıl amaç … ulaşmaktır” as “The main goal is to achieve ….” This structure is very common in formal or written Turkish when defining objectives, rules, etc.
How is sürdürülebilir formed? Can I see the suffix breakdown?
Sürdürülebilir = sürdür (to maintain) + -(ü)l- (passive marker) + -ebil- (ability/possibility) + -ir (present-tense/adjective-forming).
Put simply, it literally means “that which can be maintained,” i.e. “sustainable.”
Why is başarıya in the dative case (-ya)?
Can I omit -tır and just say …ulaşmak?
You can, but you’ll need to adjust the sentence slightly. As a standalone full sentence, Asıl amaç sürdürülebilir başarıya ulaşmaktır uses -maktır to complete the predicate. If you drop -tır, you’d normally introduce a possessive subject, for example:
• “Asıl amacımız sürdürülebilir başarıya ulaşmak.”
Here amacımız (“our goal”) makes it clear who’s speaking, so the copula on the infinitive isn’t needed. In impersonal, formal statements you keep -maktır.
Could I use a synonym like erişmek or elde etmek instead of ulaşmak?
Yes. All three verbs can express “achieve” or “reach,” but with slight nuances:
• ulaşmak = to reach or arrive at something (dative case)
• erişmek = very close to “ulaşmak,” also takes dative
• elde etmek = to obtain or acquire something (accusative case)
So you could say:
• “Asıl amaç sürdürülebilir başarıya erişmektir.”
• “Asıl amaç sürdürülebilir başarıyı elde etmektir.”
Each is correct; choose based on the nuance you want.
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