Learn Hardcore Turkish: İzin belgesini teslim etmeden önce yetkiliyle randevu almalısın. - You should make an appointment with the official before handing over the permit.

belgesini breaks down as belge (document) + -si (3rd-person possessive: “its”) + -ni (definite accusative). In Turkish compounds like izin belgesi (“permission document”), the second noun takes a possessive suffix (-si) to link it to the first noun, then when you make it a specific direct object you add the accusative -ni.

Why is belgesini in the accusative case, instead of just izin belgesi?

The accusative case (-i, realized here as -ni after the possessive) marks a definite, specific object. Saying izin belgesini (“the permission document”) tells your listener exactly which document you mean. Without the accusative suffix you’d have an indefinite object or a more general statement.

How is teslim etmeden önce constructed, and what does it mean?

This phrase means “before submitting.” It comes from:
• teslim etmek – “to submit” (literally “to deliver/hand over”)
• -meden – the negative gerundial suffix meaning “without doing X” or “before doing X”
• önce – “before”
So teslim etmeden önce = “before you submit.”

Why is it -meden and not -madan in etmeden?

Turkish vowel harmony dictates that if the verb stem has a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü), you use -meden; if it has a back vowel (a, ı, o, u), you use -madan. The stem et- ends in e, so et+meden → etmeden.

What does yetkiliyle mean, and how is it formed?

yetkiliyle means “with the official/authorized person.” It’s formed by adding the instrumental/comitative suffix -yle (contracted to -yle after vowels) to yetkili (“authorized person”). So yetkili+yle → yetkiliyle = “with the authority.”

Why do we say randevu almak instead of randevu yapmak?

In Turkish, the established collocation for “to make an appointment” is randevu almak (“to take an appointment”). Although yapmak often means “to do/make,” here you literally “take” an appointment, just like you “take” a ticket (bilet almak).

What does the suffix -malı/-meli in almalısın express?

The suffix -malı/-meli expresses obligation or strong recommendation (“must/should”). Combined with the 2nd-person singular ending -sın, almalısın literally means “you must/should take.”

Why is there no explicit pronoun sen for “you” in almalısın?

Turkish verbs conjugate for person. The ending -sın already tells you the subject is “you” (singular). Personal pronouns are often dropped when they’re clear from the verb ending.