Learn Turkish: Ben karanlıkta makineyi kendim tamir etmiyordum, kibrit ve mum arıyordum. - I was not repairing the machine myself in the dark, I was looking for a match and a candle.

Ben karanlıkta makineyi kendim tamir etmiyordum, kibrit ve mum arıyordum.

I was not repairing the machine myself in the dark, I was looking for a match and a candle.

Breakdown of Ben karanlıkta makineyi kendim tamir etmiyordum, kibrit ve mum arıyordum.

Questions & Answers about Ben karanlıkta makineyi kendim tamir etmiyordum, kibrit ve mum arıyordum.

How do we form the negative past continuous in tamir etmiyordum?

The verb is tamir etmek (to repair) and the root is tamir et-. The negative suffix is usually -me, but when we add the continuous suffix -yor, the e narrows to i. Then we add the past tense -du and the "I" ending -m. Altogether: tamir et- + -mi- + -yor + -du + -m.

The verb for "looking for" is aramak. Why does it change to arıyordum instead of arayordum?

This happens for the exact same reason the negative suffix changes in the previous word! When any verb root ends in a or e, that vowel "narrows" before the -yor suffix. Here, the a in ara- narrows to ı, giving us arı- + -yor + -du + -m.

Why does makineyi have an ending, but kibrit and mum do not?