Breakdown of Kardeşin dalmayı seviyor mu?
sevmek
to love, to like
kardeş
sibling
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
dalmak
to dive
Questions & Answers about Kardeşin dalmayı seviyor mu?
Why is it dalmayı instead of just dalmak?
The verb sevmek (to like/love) requires its object to take the accusative case. To add the accusative ending -ı to an action, we first change the verb root dal- (dive) into a noun using the -ma suffix. Then we add the buffer letter -y- and the accusative -ı, giving us dalmayı.
Why does the Turkish sentence use the continuous tense seviyor when the English is simple present (does he like)?
In Turkish, verbs about feelings or states of mind, like sevmek (to like) or istemek (to want), typically use the present continuous -iyor tense even for general facts. While sever mi? is not grammatically wrong, seviyor mu? is what native speakers naturally say.
Does kardeşin specifically mean brother?
No, kardeş just means sibling, usually a younger one. The Turkish sentence is actually gender-neutral. The English translation says brother to sound natural, but it could just as easily mean sister. To be specific, you would say erkek kardeşin (your brother) or kız kardeşin (your sister).
What is the -in at the end of kardeşin doing?
That is the possessive suffix for 'your' (singular). Instead of using a separate word in front, Turkish attaches -in to the end of kardeş to mean your sibling.