Breakdown of Günlerdir zorluklar var ama lütfen pes etme, devam et!
var
there is / existent
lütfen
please
gün
day
ama
but
devam etmek
to continue
zorluk
difficulty
pes etmek
to give up (surrender, admit defeat)
Questions & Answers about Günlerdir zorluklar var ama lütfen pes etme, devam et!
Why does günlerdir have -dir at the end?
This is the time duration suffix you are focusing on in this lesson! When you add -dir (or -dır, -tır, etc., depending on vowel harmony) to a time word, it means 'for' a period of time. Since günler means 'days', adding the suffix makes günlerdir, meaning 'for days'.
The English translation says 'there have been', but doesn't var just mean 'there is/are'?
Yes, var literally means 'there is' or 'there are'. However, when you use a duration word like günlerdir, Turkish uses the present tense for a state that started in the past and is still continuing right now. So, 'there are difficulties for days' in Turkish naturally translates to 'there have been difficulties for days' in English.
How is the word zorluklar built?
It starts with the adjective zor (difficult or hard). Adding the suffix -luk (which forms nouns from adjectives, similar to '-ness' or '-ty' in English) makes zorluk (difficulty). Finally, the plural suffix -lar makes it zorluklar (difficulties).
Why do both pes etme and devam et use a form of the word et?
They both use the helper verb etmek (to do / to make). In Turkish, it is very common to combine a noun or a borrowed word with etmek to create a new verb. Pes etmek means 'to give up', and devam etmek means 'to continue'.
Why is the first verb etme and the second one just et?
These are command forms (the imperative) used when speaking to the informal singular 'you' (sen). To tell someone not to do something, you add the negative suffix -me or -ma to the verb root, giving us etme (don't give up). To tell them to do something, you just use the bare verb root, which is et (continue).
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