Learn Hardcore Turkish: Vazgeçmeyince sonuç kusursuz olmasa da yeterince iyiydi. - When we didn’t give up, the result, even if not flawless, was good enough.

The suffix -ince/-ınca/-unca/-ünce makes a verb into an adverbial clause meaning “when/whenever/once/if.” So vazgeçmeyince means “when/if (one) doesn’t give up,” setting the time/condition for the main clause.

How is vazgeçmeyince formed?

Breakdown: vazgeç-me-y-ince.

vazgeç-: “to give up”
-me-: negation “not”
-y-: buffer consonant (to avoid vowel clash)
-ince: “when/once” (front-vowel variant by harmony)

Who is the subject of vazgeçmeyince? It’s not stated.

It’s a generic/implicit subject: “when you/one/we don’t give up.” To make it explicit, you can say:

Sen vazgeçmeyince… (when you don’t give up)
Biz vazgeçmediğimizde… (when we don’t give up; using -dığımızda)

Could I use vazgeçmezsen instead?

Yes, but it changes the feel. Vazgeçmeyince is impersonal and descriptive (“when one doesn’t give up”), while vazgeçmezsen directly addresses “you” with a conditional (“if you don’t give up”). Choose based on whether you want a general observation or a direct condition.

Do I need a comma after vazgeçmeyince?

A comma is optional but common: Vazgeçmeyince, sonuç… It helps readability by marking the adverbial clause.

What exactly does kusursuz olmasa da do?

It’s a concessive clause meaning “even if/although (it) isn’t perfect.” Breakdown:

kusursuz: “flawless” (from kusur “flaw” + -suz “without”)
ol-ma-sa: “if it were not / even if it isn’t”
da: concessive clitic “even though/also”

Why is it olmasa and not değilse?

Both are acceptable with adjectives:

kusursuz olmasa da
kusursuz değilse de They’re near-equivalent; many speakers find olmasa da smoother in this fixed concessive pattern, but değilse de is also fine.

Is the da here the same as the locative -da/-de?

No. This da/de is the clitic “also/even,” used here to build a concessive with -sa: …sa da = “even if/though.” It’s written separately (two words), unlike the locative suffix, which attaches to nouns (e.g., evde “at home”).

The main clause is past (iyiydi). Why isn’t there past marking in olmasa?

Concessive -sa da doesn’t carry tense; its time reference follows the main clause. With iyiydi (“was good”), kusursuz olmasa da is naturally understood as “although it wasn’t perfect.”

What’s the difference between olmasa da and olmasa bile?

Both mean “even if/although,” but bile adds extra emphasis (“even”). Olmasa bile can sound a bit stronger or more contrastive than olmasa da.

Why is iyiydi spelled with a double y?

It’s iyi + idi (“good + was”). After a vowel, Turkish inserts a buffer y and the copular past is written as -ydi: iyi + idi → iyiydi. You may also see the spaced form iyi idi in formal writing.

Could I say iyi oldu instead of iyiydi?

Yes, but nuance changes:

iyiydi: a simple past state (“it was good”).
iyi oldu: resultative/turnout (“it turned out good / it ended up being good”). Both can fit; choose based on emphasis.

What does yeterince modify, and how is it different from yeterli?

Yeterince is an adverb meaning “sufficiently/enough,” modifying the adjective iyi: yeterince iyi (“good enough”). Yeterli is an adjective (“sufficient/adequate”) that typically modifies nouns (e.g., yeterli kanıt “sufficient evidence”). Saying yeterli iyi is generally odd.

Is the -ince in yeterince the same as the temporal -ince?

No. In yeterince, it’s part of a lexicalized adverb meaning “sufficiently.” It doesn’t create a “when”-clause. Think of yeterince as a single word (“enough”).

Can I change the word order?

Yes, with commas for clarity. Natural options include:

Vazgeçmeyince, sonuç kusursuz olmasa da yeterince iyiydi. (original)
Sonuç, kusursuz olmasa da, vazgeçmeyince yeterince iyiydi.
Vazgeçmeyince, sonuç yeterince iyiydi; kusursuz olmasa da. Keep the concessive olmasa da close to the part it comments on (the result’s quality).

Are there handy synonyms for kusursuz?

Yes: mükemmel (“perfect”), eksiksiz (“without deficiency”). For example: mükemmel olmasa da.

Could I say vazgeçmeyerek instead of vazgeçmeyince?

Vazgeçmeyerek (“by not giving up”) emphasizes manner/means and usually pairs with another verb (e.g., “by not giving up and working…”). Vazgeçmeyince sets a time/condition. They aren’t interchangeable in all contexts; here -ince is the more natural choice.