Learn Hardcore Turkish: Ben kısayol ekledim.

Kısayol ekledim. = “I added a shortcut.” (most natural)
Use Ben for emphasis or contrast: Ben kısayol ekledim (It was me who added a shortcut, not someone else).

Why isn’t there an accusative ending on “kısayol”? When would it be “kısayolu”?

In Turkish, a direct object gets the accusative only if it’s definite/specific.

Indefinite: Kısayol ekledim. = “I added a shortcut.” (no suffix)
Definite: Kısayolu ekledim. = “I added the shortcut.” (accusative -u, due to vowel harmony)

Should I include “bir” to mean “a”? Is “Bir kısayol ekledim” better?

Both are correct:

Kısayol ekledim. = “I added a shortcut.” (neutral, very common)
Bir kısayol ekledim. = often highlights quantity (“one”), newness, or contrast.
Use bir when you want to stress “one” or when counting: Bir/iki kısayol ekledim.

What exactly is “ekledim” made of?

It’s root + tense + person: ekle- (add) + -di (simple past) + -m (1st person singular) → ekledim.

The past suffix -di/-dı/-du/-dü (or -ti/-tı/-tu/-tü after voiceless consonants) changes by vowel harmony and consonant voicing.
Because the last vowel of ekle- is front (e), you get -di → ekledi-, then -m → ekledim.

What’s the difference between “ekledim” and “eklemişim/eklemiştim”?

ekledim: simple past (I directly know/confirm it) → “I added (it).”
eklemişim: evidential past (learned/discovered afterward or expressing surprise) → “Apparently I added (it).”
eklemiştim: past perfect → “I had added (it).”

How do I negate it?

Insert the negative -me/-ma before the tense: ekle-me-di-m → eklemedim.

Kısayol eklemedim. = “I didn’t add a shortcut.”
Definite object stays definite: Kısayolu eklemedim. = “I didn’t add the shortcut.”

How do I turn it into a yes–no question?

Use the question particle mi/mı/mu/mü, which follows the verb and obeys vowel harmony.

“Did you add a shortcut?” → Kısayol ekledin mi?
“Did I add a shortcut?” → Kısayol ekledim mi?
Note: mi is a separate word after verbs (no personal ending on it in this case).

Can I change the word order for emphasis?

Yes. Turkish is flexible, but the verb is usually last.

Neutral: Ben kısayol ekledim.
Focus on the object’s definiteness: Kısayolu ben ekledim. (“It was I who added the shortcut.”)
Avoid putting the verb in the middle in neutral statements: Ekledim kısayol sounds odd.

How do I say where I added it (e.g., to the menu/home screen)?

Use the dative -a/-e on the place you’re adding to:

Is “kısayol” written as one word or two?

Write it as one word: kısayol.

How do I pronounce the dotless ı in “kısayol”?

The Turkish ı is a back, unrounded vowel; think of the relaxed vowel in the second syllable of “roses” or a short “uh.”

kısayol ≈ [kɯ-sa-yol]
ekledim ≈ [ek-le-dim]
Stress tends to fall near the end of words: kısayól, ekledím.

How do I say “I added the shortcut” vs. “I added a shortcut”?

How do I talk about multiple shortcuts?

With numbers, the noun stays singular: İki kısayol ekledim. (I added two shortcuts.)
With quantity words: Birkaç kısayol ekledim.
Plain plural as an indefinite object (Kısayollar ekledim) is uncommon; use a number or quantity word.

Are there alternative verbs to “eklemek” for shortcuts?

Yes:

kısayol eklemek: add a shortcut (often “to” somewhere: menüye, ekrana)
kısayol oluşturmak: create a shortcut (emphasizes making one, not necessarily where)
ilave etmek is a more formal synonym of eklemek in general contexts.

Why isn’t it “eklediğim” here?

eklediğim is a participle meaning “that I added.” It modifies a noun:

eklediğim kısayol = “the shortcut that I added”
In a full clause with a finite verb you use ekledim: Ben kısayol ekledim.

How do I say “I also added a shortcut”?

Use the clitic de/da (written separately, vowel harmony applies to the vowel only):

Ben de kısayol ekledim. = “I also added a shortcut.” (I, too)
Kısayol da ekledim. = “I added a shortcut as well.” (in addition to something else)