Learn Hardcore Turkish: Yol tarifi almazsan pazar yerinde neredeyse kaybolabilirsin. - If you don’t get directions, you could almost get lost in the bazaar.

yol tarifi literally means “road directions” (i.e. directions to find your way).
almazsan comes from the verb al- (“take/get”) + negative suffix -ma- + conditional suffix -san (2nd person singular).
So yol tarifi almazsan = “if you don’t get/ask for directions.”

Why is tarifi marked with -i if it seems indefinite?

In the phrase yol tarifi almak (“to get directions”), tarif is treated as a definite object (you’re asking for specific directions). Turkish marks definite direct objects with the accusative suffix -i, so tarif → tarifi.

Why is there no separate word for “if”?

Turkish often uses the conditional suffix -sa(n)/-se(n) attached directly to the verb instead of a separate conjunction. You can add eğer (“if”) for emphasis—e.g. Eğer yol tarifi almazsan—but it’s optional.

What does pazar yerinde mean, and why this form?

pazar yeri = “marketplace.” To say “in/at the marketplace,” Turkish uses the locative case suffix -de. Because pazar yeri is a compound (pazar + yer + linking -i), you get:
pazar + yer + i + nde → pazar yerinde = “at the market.”

Could I use pazarda instead of pazar yerinde?

Yes. pazarda (pazar + locative -da) also means “at the market.”
pazar yerinde is slightly more formal or specific (“marketplace”), but both are grammatically correct.

What is neredeyse, and where does it go?

neredeyse is an adverb meaning “almost” or “nearly.” Adverbs in Turkish usually come right before the verb they modify. Here it modifies kaybolabilirsin: “you can almost get lost.”

Why is there no comma after almazsan?

Turkish punctuation around subordinate clauses is more flexible than English. You often see a comma after an initial conditional clause, but omitting it—especially in informal writing—is perfectly acceptable.

How do we know the subject is “you”?

Turkish verbs carry person and number endings, so pronouns are usually dropped. In kaybolabilirsin, the ending -sin marks 2nd person singular (“you”).

Can you break down the verb kaybolabilirsin?

Yes:
kaybol- ‒ “get lost” (verb root)

-abil- ‒ ability/possibility suffix (“can/could”)
-ir- ‒ aorist/present-tense marker
-sin ‒ 2nd person singular ending
Altogether: kaybolabilirsin = “you can get lost.”

Why is the ability suffix -abil- and not -ebil-?

Turkish vowel harmony dictates the vowel in the suffix. The root kaybol- ends in the back vowel o, so the suffix takes a back vowel a → -abil-. With front-vowel stems, you’d see -ebil-.