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Questions & Answers about Terzi ceketi daraltıyor.
What does the ending in daraltıyor mean?
It’s the present continuous/progressive marker in Turkish: verb stem + -(I)yor. Here, daralt- (to make narrower) + -ıyor = daraltıyor, meaning “is taking in/making narrower.” It’s 3rd person singular.
Why is it ceketi and not just ceket?
Because the direct object is definite/specific. Turkish marks definite direct objects with the accusative -(y)I:
- Terzi ceket daraltıyor = The tailor is taking in a jacket / jackets (non-specific).
- Terzi ceketi daraltıyor = The tailor is taking in the jacket (specific).
Could ceketi mean “his/her jacket” here?
Not in this sentence. As a possessed noun, ceketi means “his/her jacket” only in the nominative. As a definite object, “his/her jacket” would be ceketini (possessive + accusative). So:
- Terzi ceketini daraltıyor = The tailor is taking in his/her jacket.
Why does the object come before the verb?
Turkish is typically SOV (Subject–Object–Verb). So Terzi (S) ceketi (O) daraltıyor (V) is the neutral order. Word order can change for emphasis:
- Ceketi terzi daraltıyor (emphasizes that it’s the tailor who’s doing it).
- Terzi ceketi daraltıyor (neutral).