Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sepete tahıl ve kuruyemiş ekledikten sonra kasaya geçiyoruz. - After adding grains and nuts to the basket, we proceed to the checkout.

ekle-: verb stem “add”
-dik: nominalizer/participle “the act of having V-ed”
-ten: ablative case (variant of -den after a voiceless consonant)
sonra: “after” So, ekle-dik-ten sonra = “after (having) added.” The whole chunk functions as a time clause.

Why is it sepete and not just sepet?

Sepete is the dative case of sepet (“basket”), meaning “to/into the basket.” With verbs of placement like eklemek (or koymak), Turkish uses the dative to mark the target:

sepete = to/into the basket
bare sepet would just be the dictionary form and is not correct here.

Why is it kasaya and why do we use geçiyoruz here?

kasaya is the dative of kasa (“cash register/checkout”), with buffer -y-: kasa + -a → kasaya.
geçmek literally means “to pass/proceed (to the next step).” In shopping (especially online), kasaya geçmek means “proceed to checkout.” So kasaya geçiyoruz = “we proceed to checkout.”

Could I use gitmek instead of geçmek (e.g., kasaya gidiyoruz)?

You can, and it will be understood as “we’re going to the checkout.” However, kasaya geçmek is the idiomatic choice for “proceed to checkout,” especially in e‑commerce. Gitmek emphasizes physical movement; geçmek emphasizes moving on to the next stage.

Why are tahıl and kuruyemiş not pluralized?

They’re used as generic/mass nouns here—“grain(s)” and “nuts” as categories. Turkish often leaves such nouns unpluralized when speaking generally or about an unspecified amount. Use plurals to emphasize multiple kinds/items:

tahıllar ve kuruyemişler = various grains and nuts.

Shouldn’t tahıl ve kuruyemiş take the accusative (-(y)i) as objects of eklemek?

Not when they’re indefinite/generic amounts. In Turkish, the direct object takes accusative only if it’s definite/specific:

Indefinite: Sepete tahıl ve kuruyemiş ekledikten sonra…
Definite: Sepete tahılı ve kuruyemişi ekledikten sonra… (“after adding the grain and the nuts”)

Is a comma needed after the -dikten sonra clause?

When the time clause comes first, many writers insert a comma:
Sepete … ekledikten sonra, kasaya geçiyoruz.
It’s optional but common and aids readability.

Could I say ekleyince or ekleyip instead of ekledikten sonra?

ekleyince = “when(ever) we add,” more general/conditional; slightly looser than “after.”
ekleyip = “adding (and then) …,” links actions in sequence, more concise. Examples:
Sepete … ekleyince kasaya geçiyoruz.
Sepete … ekleyip kasaya geçiyoruz. -dikten sonra is the clearest for strict “after.”

How would I say “before adding” instead?

Use the negative converb + önce:

eklemeden önce = “before adding” Pattern: V-me-den önce (without doing, before).

What tense/aspect is geçiyoruz, and what nuance does it have?

It’s present continuous (-yor), which in Turkish can mean:

happening now/soon (we’re about to proceed), or
a routine in narrative/instructional contexts.
For a habitual rule, you could also use the aorist: kasaya geçeriz (“we (typically) proceed to checkout”).

Why does the ablative look like -ten in ekledikten, not -den?

Ablative is underlying -den, but after a voiceless consonant the initial d devoices to t. Since -dik ends with voiceless k, you get -ten: ekle-dik-ten.

Is the subject “we” expressed anywhere? Why is biz not written?

The ending -uz in geçiyoruz encodes “we.” Turkish normally drops subject pronouns unless needed for emphasis or contrast. You could say Biz kasaya geçiyoruz, but it isn’t necessary.

Is this sentence more about online shopping or a physical store?

It fits both, but the collocation sepete eklemek + kasaya geçmek is especially common online: “add to cart” → “proceed to checkout.” In a physical store, many speakers would say sepete koymak (“put into the basket”).

Could I say sepetin içine instead of sepete?

Yes. sepetin içine (“into the inside of the basket”) is more explicit. sepete already implies direction/into with placement verbs, so both are natural:

Sepete koymak/eklemek ≈ sepetin içine koymak/eklemek

Is kuruyemiş one word? Does it only mean “nuts”?

Yes, it’s written as one word: kuruyemiş. It usually refers to snackable nuts and seeds (often also including items like raisins/apricots depending on context). The plural kuruyemişler emphasizes multiple types/kinds.

Can I use ile instead of ve for “and” here?

Yes:

tahıl ve kuruyemiş
tahıl ile kuruyemiş or the clitic form tahıl’la kuruyemiş (colloquial speech) ve is the neutral, most common “and.” ile/-la is also fine, sometimes a touch more formal or stylistically different.