Kısayol kullanmak bize zaman kazandırır.

to use

Breakdown of Kısayol kullanmak bize zaman kazandırır.

• bize: us
• zaman kazandırmak: to save time
• kısayol: the shortcut

Questions & Answers about Kısayol kullanmak bize zaman kazandırır.

What does each word mean, and what is the literal structure of the sentence?

• Kısayol = shortcut (compound of kısa “short” + yol “road”)
• kullanmak = to use (infinitive; verbal noun)
• bize = to us (dative case of biz “we”)
• zaman = time
• kazandırır = makes [someone] gain, causes [someone] to save (root kazan- “gain/win” + causative -dır-
  • aorist -ır; 3rd person singular)

Literal mapping: Using-a-shortcut to-us time causes-to-gain.

Why is the infinitive kullanmak used as the subject? Could it be kullanma instead?

Turkish often uses the infinitive -mak/-mek as a subject to talk about actions in general: Kısayol kullanmak …. The verbal noun -ma/-me also works and sounds slightly more “nouny”: Kısayol kullanma bize zaman kazandırır. Another formal option is a derived noun: Kısayol kullanımı “the use of a shortcut.”

Why is the verb in the aorist kazandırır instead of the progressive kazandırıyor?

The aorist -r expresses general truths/habits. Kısayol kullanmak bize zaman kazandırır states a general fact. Kazandırıyor (progressive) would be “is saving” in a specific or ongoing context: … bize zaman kazandırıyor (these days/right now).

Why is it bize and not bizim için?