Breakdown of Bu meslektaşlar iyi anlaşıyor ve birbirlerini destekliyor.
bu
this
iyi
good
ve
and
birbiri
each other / one another
desteklemek
to support
meslektaş
colleague
anlaşmak
to get along / to agree
Questions & Answers about Bu meslektaşlar iyi anlaşıyor ve birbirlerini destekliyor.
How do you break down the word birbirlerini?
It starts with the root birbir- (each other). Because 'colleagues' is a plural subject, we add the third-person plural possessive suffix -leri. Finally, we add the buffer letter -n- and the accusative case ending -i.
Why does birbirlerini take the accusative case -i at the end?
Because of the verb desteklemek (to support). In Turkish, the person or thing you are supporting is a direct object, which requires the accusative case. Since they are supporting each other, birbirlerini gets the accusative ending.
Does anlaşıyor come from the verb anlamak (to understand)?
Exactly! The -ş- suffix inserted into the verb creates a reciprocal or mutual meaning. So anlamak means 'to understand,' and anlaşmak literally means 'to understand each other,' which we translate as 'getting along' in this context.
The dictionary form of 'to support' is desteklemek. Why is it spelled destekliyor here?
This is due to vowel narrowing. When a verb ends in -a or -e (like destekle-), adding the continuous tense suffix -yor forces that wide vowel to narrow into -ı, -i, -u, or -ü. Here, the -e turns into an -i, making it destekliyor.
The subject is plural (meslektaşlar), so why don't the verbs end in -lar (anlaşıyorlar, destekliyorlar)?
In Turkish, if the subject is explicitly stated and is a plural human, the verb can take the plural -lar or -ler, but it is optional. It is often left singular to sound more natural and avoid repeating the plural sound too often.
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