Breakdown of Merdiven altından geçersen kötü şans getirir.
kötü
bad
getirmek
to bring
alt
bottom
geçmek
to pass / to cross / to shift (into a gear)
merdiven
ladder / stairs
şans
luck
Questions & Answers about Merdiven altından geçersen kötü şans getirir.
How is the "if" part formed in geçersen?
It uses the aorist (simple present) tense plus the conditional ending. Here is the breakdown: geç (pass) + -er (aorist marker) + -se (if) + -n (you). We use the aorist here because superstitions are general, timeless statements ("If you ever pass...").
Why is there a -dan (from) ending on altından? Doesn't the English translation just say "under"?
In Turkish, the verb geçmek (to pass) requires the ablative case (-dan/-den) when you are describing the path you take, like passing through or via a space. So while in English you pass "under" a ladder, in Turkish you literally pass "from under" it (altından).
Can you break down the suffixes attached to altından?
It starts with the noun compound merdiven altı (ladder's underside). alt means "bottom" or "under", and -ı is the compound marker linking it to the ladder. When we add the -dan (from) ending to a word ending in a possessive suffix like this, Turkish requires the buffer letter -n-. So we get: alt + -ı + -n- + -dan.
Why does the sentence use getirir instead of the present continuous getiriyor?
getirir is in the aorist tense (indicated by -ir), which is used for general facts, habits, and superstitions. Because bringing bad luck is treated as a universal, timeless rule here, Turkish uses the aorist instead of the present continuous tense, which is for things happening right now.
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