Breakdown of Meslektaşlar birbirlerine saygı duyuyor.
birbiri
each other / one another
meslektaş
colleague
saygı duymak
to respect
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Meslektaşlar birbirlerine saygı duyuyor.
Why does birbirlerine end with the -e suffix?
The verb phrase saygı duymak (to respect) literally translates to 'to feel respect'. In Turkish, you feel respect to someone, so this verb requires the dative case (direction towards). That gives us the -e (to) at the end of birbirlerine.
Can you break down the suffixes in birbirlerine?
Sure! It starts with the reciprocal pronoun base birbir (each other). Then we add -leri (third-person plural possessive, meaning 'their', which matches the plural colleagues). Finally, we add the buffer letter -n- and the dative case -e (to).
Why is the verb duyuyor used here if it normally means 'hears'?
The verb duymak usually means 'to hear', but it can also mean 'to feel' an emotion or sensation. When combined with saygı (respect), the phrase saygı duymak is the standard way to say 'to respect' (literally 'to feel respect').
What is the -taş part of meslektaşlar?