Questions & Answers about Ben aileme zaman ayırıyorum.
What does the ending in aileme mean?
- Aileme = aile (family) + -m (my) + -e (dative “to/toward”).
- So it literally means “to my family.” The dative marks the recipient/beneficiary of the action here.
Why is it aileme and not ailemi?
- Aileme uses the dative (-e) and fits the expression zaman ayırmak (birine) “to spare/allocate time for someone.”
- Ailemi is accusative (-i) and would make it a direct object: ailemi ayırıyorum would mean “I am separating/dividing my family,” which is not what you want.
Could I say ailemle instead of aileme?
- Ailemle = “with my family” (comitative -le/-la).
- Aileme zaman ayırıyorum = “I allocate time to my family” (focus on dedicating time for their sake).
- Ailemle zaman geçiriyorum = “I spend time with my family” (focus on actually being together). Different meaning.
Can I say Ailem için zaman ayırıyorum?