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Questions & Answers about Enerji tasarrufu yapmalıyız.
What is the function of the suffix -malı in yapmalıyız?
It expresses obligation or necessity. When you attach -malı/-meli to a verb, it means “must” or “have to.”
Why is it yapmalı and not yapmeli?
Because of vowel harmony. The verb root yap- contains the back vowel a, so it takes the back‐vowel version -malı rather than -meli.
What are the components of yapmalıyız?
- yap- (root “do”)
- -malı (necessity suffix “must”)
- -yız (1st person plural ending “we”)
Why is tasarruf changed to tasarrufu?
Because it’s the direct object of yapmalıyız, it takes the accusative suffix -(y)I. So tasarruf + -u → tasarrufu.
Why doesn’t enerji have a case or genitive suffix in enerji tasarrufu?
This is a noun-noun compound: the first noun (enerji) remains bare when it modifies the second noun (tasarruf). Only the head noun takes case endings.
Can you use tasarruf etmek instead of tasarruf yapmak?
Yes. Both tasarruf etmek and tasarruf yapmak mean “to save” or “economize.” etmek feels a bit more formal; yapmak is more conversational.
How do you turn Enerji tasarrufu yapmalıyız into a question?
Add the question particle -mı after the suffix:
Enerji tasarrufu yapmalı mıyız?
(“Should we save energy?”)
Where is the subject “we” in this sentence?
Turkish often omits personal pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Here, -yız in yapmalıyız indicates we.
Why does the object come before the verb here?
Turkish is a Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) language, so objects normally precede the verb.