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Questions & Answers about Müdür biliyor.
How do we get biliyor from the dictionary verb "to know"?
The dictionary form is bilmek. If we drop the -mek, we get the root bil-, which ends in a consonant. To add the present continuous suffix -yor, we need a connecting vowel. Following 4-way vowel harmony, the 'i' in bil- pairs with an 'i', giving us biliyor.
The suffix -iyor usually translates to "is doing". Why is this translated as "knows" instead of "is knowing"?
In English, we don't usually say "is knowing" because knowing is a state of mind, not an ongoing physical action. Turkish, however, frequently uses the continuous -iyor tense for these types of verbs (like knowing, wanting, or loving). So while the Turkish grammar is continuous, the most natural English translation is the simple present "knows."
Why isn't there a personal ending on the very end of biliyor?
In Turkish, the third-person singular (he/she/it) is the "default" form and doesn't take an extra personal suffix after -iyor. The word biliyor by itself already means "he/she/it knows." Since the sentence gives us the subject Müdür, it specifically means "The manager knows."
Can müdür mean anything besides "manager"?
Müdür is a versatile word for a person in charge of an institution or department. In a company, it usually means "manager" or "director," but in a school setting, it translates to "principal."