Breakdown of Adam bu daktilo ile mektup yazıyordu.
bu
this
adam
man
yazmak
to write
mektup
letter
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
daktilo
typewriter
Questions & Answers about Adam bu daktilo ile mektup yazıyordu.
How do the suffixes in yazıyordu create the meaning "was writing"?
This verb combines two suffixes you already know to form the past continuous tense. First, we take the verb root yaz- (write) and add the present continuous suffix -ıyor (writing). Then, we add the past tense ending -du (was). Together, yazıyordu means "he/she/it was writing."
Why is it just mektup and not mektubu (with the accusative case)?
We only use the accusative case (like mektubu) when referring to a specific direct object (like "the letter"). Because he is just writing "a letter" (a general, indefinite object), it stays in its plain dictionary form: mektup.
Why does mektup come right before the verb, instead of earlier in the sentence?
In Turkish, when a direct object is indefinite and doesn't have a case ending (like mektup meaning "a letter"), it must be placed directly in front of the verb. Therefore, the phrase bu daktilo ile (with this typewriter) has to come before it.
Could I attach ile directly to daktilo instead of writing it as a separate word?
Yes! The word ile (with) is often attached as a suffix. If you attach it here, it becomes daktiloyla. Because daktilo ends in a vowel, we need the buffer letter -y-, followed by -la to match "a-type" vowel harmony. Both bu daktilo ile and bu daktiloyla are completely correct and mean the same thing.
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