Questions & Answers about Seçici çocuklar sarımsak yemezdi.
How does yemezdi give us the meaning of "didn't use to eat"?
It combines the verb root ye- (eat), the aorist negative suffix -mez (used for general or habitual negative statements), and the past tense suffix -di. When you combine the aorist negative with the past tense (-mezdi or -mazdı), it creates the habitual past negative. This translates perfectly to "didn't use to" or "wouldn't" (for past habits) in English.
Why isn't sarımsak in the accusative case (as sarımsağı)?
Because it refers to garlic in a general sense, not a specific piece or batch of garlic. In Turkish, when a direct object is general (meaning "garlic" rather than "the garlic"), it doesn't take the accusative case suffix. Instead, it stays in its plain dictionary form and sits directly in front of the verb.
How is the word seçici formed to mean "picky"?
It is built from the verb root seç-, which means "to choose" or "to pick." The suffix -ici (which follows 4-way vowel harmony as -ıcı/ici/ucu/ücü) is attached to verbs to create an adjective or noun describing someone who regularly performs that action. So, someone who habitually chooses is seçici (picky or selective).
Since çocuklar (children) is plural, why doesn't the verb have a plural suffix like yemezlerdi?
When a human subject is explicitly stated and already has a plural suffix (like çocuklar), adding the plural suffix -ler or -lar to the verb is completely optional. Both yemezdi and yemezlerdi are grammatically correct and natural here. Dropping the suffix on the verb is a common way to avoid repetition.
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