Learn Hardcore Turkish: Bademi ezerek sütle karıştırmak sağlıklı bir içecek yapar. - Grinding almonds and mixing them with milk makes a healthy drink.

The -erek ending is an adverbial participle (also called a converb) that expresses “by doing X” or “while doing X.” Here, ezerek means “by crushing” or “while crushing.” It links the action of crushing the almonds to the next verb (mixing).

Why is bademi in the accusative case (with -i) instead of the bare form badem?

The -i suffix marks a definite, specific direct object. Saying bademi implies “the almonds” you already have in mind. Without -i (just badem), it would be indefinite (“some almonds”) or part of a general statement.

Why do we see sütle instead of using a preposition like “with” in English?

Turkish uses the instrumental case suffix -le/-la to mean “with.” It attaches directly to the noun: süt + -le → sütle (“with milk”). There is no separate word for “with.”

What is the function of karıştırmak here? Why is it in the infinitive form?

Karıştırmak is the infinitive “to mix.” The phrase Bademi ezerek sütle karıştırmak as a whole acts like a noun (the subject of the sentence). In English we might say “Crushing almonds and mixing with milk makes …” The infinitive -mak lets the verb function as a noun.

Could we use ezip instead of ezerek? What’s the difference?

Yes, ezip is another adverbial participle (from -ip). It’s more neutral and often used in spoken Turkish. ezerek can feel a bit more formal or literary. So both ezerek and ezip would be understood:
• ezerek sütle karıştırmak
• ezip sütle karıştırmak

What does bir do in sağlıklı bir içecek?

Bir is the indefinite article, similar to “a” in English. Sağlıklı bir içecek means “a healthy drink.” Without bir, sağlıklı içecek could still mean “healthy drink” but might sound more like a category label than “a drink.”

What tense and meaning does yapar convey in this sentence?

Yapar is the simple present (aorist) form of yapmak (“to make/do”). Here it expresses a general truth or habitual result: “makes” or “will make.” So the idea is that whenever you crush almonds and mix them with milk, you make a healthy drink.

Is there an explicit subject in the sentence? If not, how do we know who or what is doing the making?

The subject is the infinitive phrase Bademi ezerek sütle karıştırmak itself. In Turkish, infinitive clauses can act as subjects. There’s no need for a separate pronoun. The sentence literally reads:
“Crushing almonds and mixing with milk makes a healthy drink.”