Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Salataya maydanoz ekliyorum.
What does the suffix -ya in salataya signify?
It marks the dative case in Turkish, meaning “to the salad.”
Why is the dative suffix -ya used instead of -e on salata?
Because of vowel harmony: a is a back vowel, so the dative ending takes the form -ya (rather than -e or -ye).
Why isn’t maydanoz marked with a case suffix like salataya is?
Maydanoz is the direct object. In Turkish, direct objects receive the accusative suffix (–ı/–i/–u/–ü) only when they are definite or specific. Here it’s “some parsley” in general, so it remains unmarked.
Could you add the accusative suffix to maydanoz? How would that change the meaning?
Yes. Maydanozu salataya ekliyorum would mean “I’m adding the parsley (the specific parsley) to the salad.” The suffix -u signals that you’re referring to a particular bunch of parsley.
Why is there no pronoun for “I” in ekliyorum?
Turkish verb endings already encode person and number. The suffix -um on ekliyorum indicates first-person singular, so ben (“I”) is optional and usually dropped in everyday speech.
What is the breakdown of ekliyorum? What tense and person does it express?
Root: ekle- (to add)
Progressive suffix: -iyor- (denotes ongoing action)
First-person singular suffix: -um
Altogether ekliyorum = “I am adding.”
Why is this sentence in the present continuous rather than the simple present?
Turkish uses -iyor (present continuous) for actions happening right now or repeatedly. If you wanted the simple/habitual present (“I add parsley [generally]”), you’d use the aorist eklerim instead.
What is the typical Turkish word order, and why does ekliyorum come at the end?
Turkish is a Subject-Object-Verb (S-O-V) language. Even when the subject (I) is omitted, the objects (salataya maydanoz) precede the verb (ekliyorum).
Can you use katmak instead of eklemek? What’s the nuance?
Yes. Both mean “to add,” but eklemek emphasizes adding an ingredient, while katmak often implies mixing it in. In practice, Salataya maydanoz katıyorum is also correct, with a slight focus on stirring the parsley into the salad.