Questions & Answers about Onlar bir elmayı paylaştı.
Why does the past tense suffix look like -tı instead of -dı here?
The verb root is paylaş (to share), which ends in the voiceless consonant ş. Because of consonant harmony, the d in the past tense suffix -dı changes to a hard t to match, making it -tı.
The subject is Onlar (they), so shouldn't the verb be paylaştılar?
It can be, but you do not have to use the plural suffix on the verb if a human subject is already stated. Since Onlar is explicitly used here, dropping the -lar from the verb avoids repetition and sounds very natural.
If they shared 'an' apple, why does elma have the specific accusative ending -yı?
Normally, a totally unspecific object just uses bir elma. However, using bir along with the accusative suffix (making it bir elmayı) means they shared a certain or particular apple, perhaps one they just found or were given.
Where does the y in elmayı come from?
The word for apple is elma (ending in a vowel) and the accusative suffix here is -ı. Turkish grammar usually prevents two vowels from crashing together, so the buffer letter y is inserted between them for smoother pronunciation.
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