Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Otomat arızalanınca bozuk paralar geri geldi.
What does otomat mean here? Is it the same as otomatik?
Otomat is a noun meaning a vending machine or an automated dispensing machine (e.g., ticket machine). Otomatik is an adjective meaning automatic. You can also hear longer phrases like otomatik satış makinesi, but otomat is the natural, concise word.
What does the suffix in arızalanınca mean?
The suffix -ınca/-ince forms a temporal clause meaning “when/once/whenever.” So arızalanınca = “when it malfunctions/breaks down.” This converb itself doesn’t carry tense; the main verb (geldi, past) sets the overall time.
Why use arızalanmak instead of bozulmak?
Both can work. Arızalanmak is a bit more technical/formal for devices (“to malfunction”). Bozulmak is broader—“to break down,” “to get spoiled,” “to go bad.” For a machine, bozulunca is common and perfectly natural; arızalanınca just sounds a tad more technical.
Could I say Otomat arızalandığında instead of arızalanınca?
Yes. -dığında/-diğinde also means “when.” Arızalandığında is slightly more formal or explicit (“at the time when it malfunctioned”), while arızalanınca often feels a bit more like “upon malfunctioning/as soon as it malfunctioned.” In most contexts, they’re interchangeable.
Is a comma required after the first clause?
You’ll often see a comma: Otomat arızalanınca, … It’s stylistically preferred, but with short clauses omitting it isn’t unusual. Both are acceptable.
Does bozuk in bozuk para mean “broken”? Why does it mean “coins”?
Literally bozuk can mean “broken/spoiled,” but bozuk para is an established collocation meaning “coins/loose change.” It does not imply the coins are physically broken.
Why is it bozuk paralar (plural) here? Could I say bozuk para?
Both are possible:
- Bozuk paralar highlights multiple discrete coins (“the coins came back”).
- Bozuk para treats it as a mass of change (“the change came back”). In this physical scenario (several coins returned), the plural bozuk paralar is very natural.
Why is the verb singular (geldi) when the subject bozuk paralar is plural? Why not geldiler?
In Turkish, third-person plural verb agreement is often omitted with inanimate subjects. Bozuk paralar geri geldi is the default. Geldiler is not wrong but would sound marked or personifying here.
What does geri add? Could I say just geldi?
Geri means “back.” Geri gelmek is a common collocation meaning “to come back/return.” Without geri, geldi is just “came,” lacking the notion of returning.
Can I say geri döndü instead of geri geldi?
You can, but geri döndü is more common for animate subjects or things that literally turn back. For coins being spit out/refunded by a machine, geri geldi or the passive geri verildi / iade edildi often sounds more natural.
Where does geri go in the sentence? Could I put it elsewhere?
Place it before the verb: geri geldi. You can put it adjacent to the verb phrase even with other elements present (e.g., bozuk paralar hemen geri geldi). Putting geri before the subject (geri bozuk paralar geldi) is unnatural.
Why is there no accusative ending on bozuk paralar? Shouldn’t it be bozuk paraları?
Here bozuk paralar is the subject, so it’s nominative (no ending). The accusative (bozuk paraları) would be used if it were a definite direct object, e.g., Otomat bozuk paraları geri verdi (“The machine gave the coins back”).
How would I say this as a general fact/habit instead of a past event?
Use the aorist for the main verb: Otomat arızalanınca bozuk paralar geri gelir (“When the machine malfunctions, the coins come back”).
How is arızalanınca formed morphologically?
Arızalan- is built from the noun arıza (“fault, defect”) plus the inchoative -lan (“to become X”), giving “to develop a fault.” Then add -ınca to make the temporal clause: arızalan-ınca (“when it malfunctions”).
Why is it -ınca and not -ince here?
Vowel harmony. The last vowel before the suffix is back (a in -lan), so you use the back variant -ınca. After front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) you use -ince (e.g., bitince, gelince).
Is it okay for inanimate things like coins to “come” in Turkish?
Yes. Turkish freely uses gelmek with inanimate subjects. Bozuk paralar geri geldi is perfectly idiomatic.
How would I say “the coins came back to me”?
Add a dative pronoun: Bozuk paralar bana geri geldi. Alternatively, with a more agentive machine: Otomat bozuk paraları bana geri verdi.
Could I say arızalı olunca instead of arızalanınca?
Yes, but it shifts nuance from the event to the state: arızalanınca = “when it malfunctions (at the moment it breaks),” arızalı olunca = “when it is out of order (whenever it is in that state).” Both can fit depending on what you want to emphasize.
Is there any difference between geri and words like tekrar or arkaya?
Yes:
- geri = back/return (direction of reversal: geri gelmek/vermek/dönmek).
- tekrar = again/repetition, not necessarily “back.”
- arkaya = to the back (spatial), not used for “giving back” or “refund.”