Breakdown of Sen kümesin kapısını kapatıyordun.
kapı
door
sen
you
kapatmak
to turn off / to close
kümes
henhouse
Questions & Answers about Sen kümesin kapısını kapatıyordun.
Why is it kümesin and not just kümes?
This is a genitive-possessive phrase, which is how Turkish says "the [noun]'s [noun]". Kümes means "henhouse", and adding the genitive suffix -in turns it into "the henhouse's". It links to the door to mean "the door of the henhouse".
Can you break down the suffixes at the end of kapısını?
Absolutely! It starts with the root kapı (door). Next is the possessive suffix -sı (its), which connects back to the henhouse (kümesin kapısı = the henhouse's door). Then comes a buffer letter -n- to separate two vowels. Finally, the accusative suffix -ı is added because this specific door is the direct object of the verb being closed.
Why does the verb kapatıyordun have both -ıyor and -du?
This is the Turkish past continuous tense, which translates to "was/were doing". You create it by stacking tenses! First, you add the present continuous suffix -ıyor- (closing), then the past tense suffix -du- (were). The final -n is the personal ending for "you".
Do I need to include the word Sen at the beginning of the sentence?
No, it is completely optional. Because the verb kapatıyordun ends with the "you" marker (-n), it's already clear who is doing the action. Including Sen just adds a bit of emphasis, like saying "You were closing the door."
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