Breakdown of Burada ışık yok, o tabelayı okuyamazsın.
o
that / he / she / it
yok
there is not / non-existent
burada
here
okumak
to read
ışık
light (illumination)
tabela
sign
Questions & Answers about Burada ışık yok, o tabelayı okuyamazsın.
How do we break down okuyamazsın to get "you cannot read"?
Let's take it apart: oku is the verb root for "read". We add the buffer -y- because it ends in a vowel. Next is -ama-, the inability suffix meaning "cannot". Then we have -z, which is the negative Aorist tense marker for the second person. Finally, -sın is the "you" ending. Together: oku-y-ama-z-sın.
What is the exact difference between okumazsın and okuyamazsın?
Okumazsın is the simple negative Aorist, meaning "you do not read" (as a general fact or habit). By adding that extra -ya- in the middle, it becomes the negative ability form: okuyamazsın means "you cannot read". That small addition is what changes "do not" to "cannot".
Why does tabela (sign) have the -yı ending?
The ending -(y)ı is the accusative case, which marks a specific direct object. Because the sentence says o tabela (that sign), we are pointing out a specific sign that receives the action of being read. Therefore, it needs the accusative ending to become o tabelayı.
I see yok used here for "no light". Could I use değil instead?
No, because yok translates to "there is not" or "does not exist", which is exactly what you need to say "there is no light". Değil means "is not" and is used to negate adjectives or identity (for example, you would use değil to say "the light is not bright").
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