Learn Hardcore Turkish: Zorluklara direnmek insanı güçlendirir. - Resisting difficulties strengthens a person.

Zorluklara direnmek is a noun phrase formed by the infinitive direnmek (“to resist”) plus its object in the dative case (zorluklara, “to the hardships”). In Turkish, the plain infinitive (the –mek/–mak form) can function as a noun. Here it’s the subject of the verb güçlendirir, so the whole phrase means “Resisting hardships …”.

Why is zorluklara in the dative case (–lara) instead of the accusative?

The verb direnmek in Turkish requires the thing you resist to be in the dative case (–e/–a).

zorluk = “hardship”
plural + dative → zorluklar
- –a → zorluklara
  This literally means “to/against hardships,” matching English “resist hardships.”

Why is insanı marked with the accusative ending (–ı)?

The main verb güçlendirmek (“to strengthen”) is transitive, so its direct object must take the accusative.

insan = “person”
- accusative → insan
  - –ı → insanı
    Thus “makes a person (insanı) stronger.”

What tense and mood is güçlendirir, and why is it used here?

güçlendirir is the aorist (simple present/general present) form of güçlendirmek.

root: güçlendir-
aorist suffix: –ir
3rd person singular has no extra suffix in this pattern.
We use the aorist for general truths or habitual statements, e.g. “X makes Y strong” as a timeless fact.

Why not use the intransitive güçlenmek (“to become strong”) instead of güçlendirmek (“to strengthen”)?

Using güçlendirmek keeps the structure “Subject → Verb → Object.” Here the subject is the action of resisting and the object is the person being strengthened. If you switched to güçlenmek, you would have no direct object. You could rephrase the sentence into an intransitive form—see next question—but then the nuance shifts from “something strengthens someone” to “someone becomes stronger.”

Can this idea be expressed with –le/-la instead of keeping direnmek as the grammatical subject?

Yes. You can turn the infinitive into an adverbial clause with –le (the gerundial suffix) and then use güçlenmek. For example:
• Zorluklara direnmek insanı güçlendirir.
• Zorluklara direnmekle insan güçlenir.
Both mean roughly “By resisting hardships, a person becomes stronger,” but the second uses –le and the intransitive güçlenmek (“to grow/become strong”).

Could you replace direnmek with karşı koymak or another synonym?

Yes, karşı koymak (“to oppose; to stand against”) is a common synonym. You’d say:
• Zorluklara karşı koymak insanı güçlendirir.
Here karşı is a separate preposition meaning “against,” and koymak is the verb “to put”; together they mean “to stand against hardships.”

Is it possible to drop the accusative –ı on insanı for a more generic meaning?

In many generic or proverb-like sentences, Turkish sometimes omits the accusative:
• Zorluklara direnmek insan güçlendirir.
This is understood as “resisting hardships makes people strong” in a broad sense. However, including –ı (insanı) puts a slight focus on “the individual.” Both versions are grammatically acceptable.