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Breakdown of Mühür kırılmadan evraklar teslim edilmez.
-madan
without
evrak
the document
mühür
the seal
kırılmak
to be broken
teslim edilmek
to be delivered
Questions & Answers about Mühür kırılmadan evraklar teslim edilmez.
What does the suffix -madan indicate in kırılmadan?
It attaches to a verb stem to form an adverbial clause meaning “without doing” or “before doing” that action. So kırılmadan means “without the seal being broken” or “before the seal is broken.”
Why is it -madan and not -meden?
Turkish vowel harmony dictates which form you use. The last vowel in the stem kırıl- is ı, a back vowel, so the adverbial suffix is -madan rather than -meden.
Why is teslim edilmez in the passive form?
The focus is on evraklar (the documents), not on who delivers them. Teslim edilmez is the passive of teslim etmek, meaning “are not delivered.”
Can I express the same idea in the active voice?
Yes. For example:
Görevliler mühür kırılmadan evrakları teslim etmez.
Here görevliler (the officers) is the subject actively withholding delivery.
Why isn't there a plural ending on edilmez (i.e., why not edilmezler)?
In Turkish, verbs do not change form for plural subjects. The singular verb form covers both singular and plural subjects, so edilmez is correct even though evraklar is plural.
Could I put the adverbial clause kırılmadan after the main clause?
Yes, you could say:
Evraklar teslim edilmez mühür kırılmadan.
However, it's more natural to place the -madan clause at the beginning:
Mühür kırılmadan evraklar teslim edilmez.
What if I want to say “When the seal is broken, the documents are delivered”?
You would switch to -ınca (the “when/after” suffix) and remove negation:
Mühür kırılınca evraklar teslim edilir.
Can I add önce to emphasize “before”?
Yes, although it's a bit redundant:
Mühür kırılmadan önce evraklar teslim edilmez.
Both -madan and önce convey “before.”
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