Breakdown of Bugün çamaşırları yıkamaları gerek.
bugün
today
yıkamak
to wash
gerek
necessary
çamaşır
laundry
Questions & Answers about Bugün çamaşırları yıkamaları gerek.
How do we get 'they need to wash' from yıkamaları gerek?
This uses the lesson's necessity structure. We take the verb root yıka- (wash), add the short verbal noun suffix -ma, and then add the 'their' possessive suffix -ları to get yıkamaları (their washing). Finally, adding gerek (necessary) makes it 'they need to wash'.
Why does çamaşırları end in -ı?
The verb yıkamak (to wash) takes a direct object. Since they are washing specific laundry ('the laundry'), we must use the accusative case. To the plural word çamaşırlar (laundry/clothes), we add the accusative suffix -ı to get çamaşırları.
Is it possible to use lazım instead of gerek in this sentence?
Yes! In this structure, gerek and lazım mean the exact same thing. You could say Bugün çamaşırları yıkamaları lazım and the meaning would not change at all.
yıkamaları has the same spelling as the plural specific object 'the washings'. How do we tell them apart?
Context is key! The word can be broken down as yıka-ma-ları (their washing) or yıkama-lar-ı (the washings, specific object). Because we see gerek right after it, we know we are using the necessity structure, which requires a possessive suffix like 'their'.