Learn Turkish: Yoksul insanlar hediyelerle şaşırtılırdı. - The poor people would be surprised with gifts.

The root is şaşır-, meaning to be surprised or confused. By adding the causative suffix -t (a variant of the -It suffix used after consonants like r), it becomes şaşırt-, meaning to cause someone to be surprised. It shifts the verb from experiencing the feeling to actively causing it.

Why is there an -ıl suffix right after the causative -t in şaşırtılırdı?

This is a causative-passive double derivation. After the causative -t turns the verb into to surprise (şaşırt-), the passive suffix -ıl is added to make it to be surprised by someone (şaşırtıl-). This keeps the focus on the poor people as the receivers of the action, rather than naming the person giving the gifts.

What does the -ırdı ending in şaşırtılırdı represent?

It combines the aorist suffix -ır and the past tense suffix -dı. While this combination can sometimes express a past habit (used to), in the context of this lesson it forms the affirmative main clause of a conditional statement, translating to would be. It describes the hypothetical result that would happen (they would be surprised) if a certain condition were met, even if the if part is only implied.

Why does hediyelerle end in -le instead of using the separate word ile?