Şiddetli rüzgar masayı devirebilir.

A strong wind can knock over the table.

Breakdown of Şiddetli rüzgar masayı devirebilir.

• masa: the table
• rüzgar: the wind
• devirebilmek: to be able to knock over
• şiddetli: strong

Questions & Answers about Şiddetli rüzgar masayı devirebilir.

What does Şiddetli mean and can I use it with other nouns?

Şiddetli is an adjective meaning violent, severe, or intense. You place it before a noun to emphasize strength or intensity. For example:

• şiddetli yağmur = heavy rain
• şiddetli kar = heavy snow
• şiddetli baş ağrısı = a severe headache

Why isn’t there an article like “the” or “a” before rüzgar?

Turkish has no separate words for “the” or “a.” Nouns appear without articles, and definiteness is often marked by context or case endings. Here rüzgar can mean “a wind” or “the wind” depending on the situation.

Why is masa in the form masayı?

The suffix -yI marks the accusative (direct object) when the object is definite or specific.

• masa = “a table” (indefinite)
• masayı = “the table” (definite)
  Since the sentence talks about a particular table being overturned, you use masayı.

How is the verb devirebilir constructed and what does each part mean?

Breakdown of devirebilir:

1. devir- (root from devirmek, “to overturn”)
2. -e- (linking vowel)
3. -bil (ability/possibility suffix = “can/might”)
4. -ir (present tense marker for 3rd person singular)

Combined, devirebilir literally means “it can overturn” or “it may overturn.”

What’s the difference between this potential form and the future tense?

• Potential with -ebil-/-abil- expresses ability or possibility:
  devirebilir = “it can/might overturn.”
• Future tense with -ecek/-acak makes a prediction:
  devirecek = “it will overturn” (more certain).

There’s no explicit subject. Who is doing the action?

Turkish often omits the subject when it’s clear from the verb ending. The -ir in devirebilir indicates 3rd person singular, so the implied subject is it (i.e. the strong wind).

What is the word order in this sentence?

Turkish follows Subject–Object–Verb order:
Subject = Şiddetli rüzgar
Object = masayı
Verb = devirebilir

How would I say “The strong wind cannot overturn the table”?

Replace the ability suffix with a negative present: deviremez = “cannot overturn.”
So: Şiddetli rüzgar masayı deviremez.