Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kiracı olarak aidatı dün yatırdım; kapıcı dekontu aldı. - As a tenant, I paid the dues yesterday; the doorman took the receipt.

olarak is the converb of olmak (“to be”) and means “as / in the capacity of.” So kiracı olarak = “as a tenant (in the role of a tenant).”
gibi means “like/as if,” a comparison rather than a role.
- kiracı olarak konuşuyorum = “I’m speaking as a tenant (I am the tenant).”
- kiracı gibi konuşuyorum = “I’m speaking like a tenant (I may not actually be one).”

Why does “aidatı” have the -ı ending?

It’s the accusative ending marking a specific, definite direct object.

Aidat yatırdım = “I paid (some) maintenance fee” (indefinite/unspecified).
Aidatı yatırdım = “I paid the maintenance fee” (the specific, known fee).
In contexts like monthly building dues, the object is usually definite, so accusative is expected.

Why is it “dekontu” and not “dekontı”? How do I choose the right accusative vowel?

Accusative uses 4‑way vowel harmony (-ı, -i, -u, -ü), chosen by the last vowel of the noun:

a/ı → -ı (aidat → aidatı)
e/i → -i (bilet → bileti)
o/u → -u (dekont → dekontu)
ö/ü → -ü (görü → görüyü — rarely used word, but shows the pattern)

Is “yatırdım” the right verb for “paid”? How is it different from “ödedim”?

ödemek = “to pay” in general.
yatırmak = “to deposit/pay into an account,” often used for bills/fees paid to an institution.
Both are heard with aidat, but aidatı yatırdım feels more like an institutional payment (bank/online/management account), while aidatı ödedim is more general.

Why are there no subject pronouns (“ben,” “o”)?

Turkish is pro‑drop: verb endings show the subject.

yatırdım = “I paid” (1st person singular).
aldı = “he/she/it took/received” (3rd person singular).
You add pronouns only for emphasis or contrast: Ben aidatı dün yatırdım; o dekontu aldı.

Is the word order natural? Where can I put “dün” and “kiracı olarak”?

Yes, it’s natural. Turkish is flexible; the element right before the verb tends to be in focus.

Kiracı olarak aidatı dün yatırdım → focus on dün (“yesterday”).
Kiracı olarak dün aidatı yatırdım → focus on aidatı (“the fee”).
Dün kiracı olarak aidatı yatırdım → also natural, neutral-to-object focus.
All are grammatical; choose by what you want to stress.

Do I need to say “from me” with “aldı”? How would I add it?

Not required. Almak (“to take/receive”) can omit the source if it’s obvious. To specify, use the ablative:

Kapıcı benden dekontu aldı = “The janitor took the receipt from me.”
Word order for emphasis: Dekontu benden aldı (focus on “from me”).

What’s the nuance of “kapıcı”? Is there a more neutral term?

Kapıcı literally “doorkeeper/janitor” is common but somewhat old-fashioned. More neutral/modern:

apartman görevlisi (apartment building attendant)
site görevlisi (residential complex attendant)

Is “dekont” the same as “makbuz” or “fiş”?

They’re different:

dekont: a bank/transaction slip (proof of transfer/payment).
makbuz: an official receipt acknowledging payment.
fiş: a retail sales slip/receipt (store/cash register).
In this sentence, dekont fits because it’s about fee payment, often via bank/management.

Why don’t “aidat” and “dekont” soften their final “t” in “aidatı/dekontu”? I thought t→d before vowels.

Final‑consonant softening (p→b, ç→c, t→d, k→ğ/g) is lexical and not universal. Many borrowed words—especially those ending in -t—do NOT soften.

So: aidat → aidatı, dekont → dekontu (no softening).
But: kitap → kitabı, ağaç → ağacı (softening happens).

Could “aidatı” be a possessive form (“its fee”) rather than accusative? How do I tell?

Formally, aidatı can look like either:

accusative of “aidat” (aidat-ı), or
3rd‑person possessive “its fee” (aidat-ı).
You disambiguate by context and syntax. Here, it’s the direct object of yatırdım, so accusative.
With a possessor it’s clearer:
apartman aidatı = “the building’s maintenance fee” (3rd‑person possessive on aidat).
If you then mark it accusative: apartman aidatını (note the buffer -n-).

Is the semicolon okay in Turkish? Could I use a comma, “ve,” or a period instead?

Yes, a semicolon between two closely related independent clauses is fine, just like in English. You could also write:

… yatırdım. Kapıcı dekontu aldı. (period)
… yatırdım ve kapıcı dekontu aldı. (“and”)
A bare comma between full clauses is less standard in careful writing.

How do you pronounce “aidat”? I’ve heard “aydat.”

Standard pronunciation is three syllables: a‑i‑dat (the a and i are separate vowels). In casual speech, many people say “aydat,” but formal/standard speech keeps the hiatus: a‑i‑dat.

How would I say “I had the janitor deposit the fee”?

Use the causative of yatırmak and the dative for the person you made do it:

Aidatı kapıcıya yatırttım. = “I had the janitor deposit the fee.”
You can add “dün” and other modifiers as needed: Aidatı dün kapıcıya yatırttım.