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Questions & Answers about Bu planı anlamıyorum.
Why is it planı instead of just plan?
Because "this plan" is a specific object. In Turkish, when an action happens to a specific thing, it takes the accusative case ending. If you ask Neyi anlamıyorsun? (What specifically do you not understand?), the answer is bu planı (this plan). The -ı marks it as the specific direct object.
The verb root is anla-, so why does the negative form use -mı- instead of -ma-?
This is due to a pronunciation rule where the continuous suffix -yor narrows the vowel right before it. Normally, the negative suffix is -ma, which would give us anla-ma-yor-um. But the -yor ending squishes that wide a into an ı, making it anlamıyorum.
Why does the verb use the continuous -yor ending (am not understanding) instead of a simple present tense?
In English, we usually say "I do not understand" rather than "I am not understanding." However, Turkish frequently uses the present continuous tense (-yor) for states you are experiencing right now, like understanding (anlamak), wanting (istemek), or knowing (bilmek).
Where is the word for "I" (ben) in this sentence?