Breakdown of Masayı ve camı siliyoruz.
masa
table
ve
and
cam
glass (material) / window
silmek
to wipe / to clean (by wiping)
Questions & Answers about Masayı ve camı siliyoruz.
Why is there a -y- in masayı but not in camı?
Both words are getting the accusative suffix to show they are the specific things being wiped. Masa (table) ends in a vowel, so it needs the buffer letter -y- before the -ı suffix to separate the two vowels. Cam (window) ends in a consonant, so it just takes -ı directly.
Could I just say Masa ve cam siliyoruz?
Not if you mean 'the' specific table and window. In Turkish, adding the accusative suffix (like the -ı here) is how you show a direct object is definite. Without it, the sentence sounds like a general, unspecified activity: 'We are doing table and window wiping.'
Doesn't the word cam usually mean 'glass'?
Yes, cam literally means 'glass' as a material. However, in everyday Turkish, it is also the most common word used for a 'window' of a room or car, especially when you are talking about opening, closing, or cleaning it.
What is the root verb in siliyoruz and how does the vowel harmony work here?
The verb root is sil-, which means 'to wipe' or 'to erase'. When adding the present continuous suffix -iyor, the first vowel matches the root. Since sil- has an i, the suffix is -iyor, and the 'we' ending is -uz, giving us siliyoruz.