Breakdown of Bir vatandaş gümrükten geçebilir mi?
bir
a / an
geçmek
to pass / to cross / to shift (into a gear)
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
vatandaş
citizen
Questions & Answers about Bir vatandaş gümrükten geçebilir mi?
How does geçebilir mi break down to mean "Can ... pass?"
It is built on the verb root geç (pass). We add the ability suffix -ebil (can) and the simple present tense ending -ir. Finally, mi makes it a yes/no question for the third person. So, geç-ebil-ir mi literally means "Is he/she/it able to pass?".
Why does gümrük (customs) take the -ten (from) ending instead of something like -te (at/in)?
In English, we say we pass through customs. In Turkish, the verb geçmek (to pass) often pairs with the ablative case (-den/-dan, meaning "from"). So you literally say you are passing "from" customs (gümrükten).
Why is the ending on gümrük spelled -ten instead of the usual -den?
This is due to consonant harmony. The word gümrük ends with k, which is a voiceless consonant. When adding a suffix that usually starts with d (like -den), the d hardens into a t to match, making it -ten.
Why isn't there a personal ending attached to the question word mi?