Questions & Answers about Ben her akşam ahırı temizliyordum.
Why does the verb end in -iyordum instead of just -dim?
The ending -iyordum combines the continuous suffix -iyor (meaning "-ing") with the past tense suffix -du and the "I" ending -m. Together, they form the past continuous tense. In Turkish, this tense is used for both "I was cleaning" and "I used to clean". Because of the phrase her akşam (every evening), "I used to clean" is the most natural translation here.
The dictionary form of "to clean" is temizlemek. Why is there an "i" in temizliyordum instead of an "e"?
This happens because of a spelling rule called vowel narrowing. When a verb root ends in -a or -e (like temizle-) and you add the -iyor suffix, that final vowel narrows into -ı, -i, -u, or -ü. Here, the -e changes to -i to match the preceding vowel, making it temizli- before adding -yordum.
Why is there an -ı at the end of ahırı?
The word for "barn" is ahır. The -ı suffix is the specific direct object ending (the accusative case). Because the speaker is talking about cleaning a specific barn ("the barn" rather than just "a barn"), you must add this ending to show it is the object receiving the action of the verb.
Is the word ben necessary here since the verb already ends in -m?
No, it is not strictly necessary. Because the verb ends in -m, we already know the subject is "I". However, Turkish speakers often include ben at the start of a sentence to add a little emphasis, or just to establish the topic clearly at the beginning of a story.
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