Breakdown of Girişimci olmak istiyordum, keşke o diplomayı almasaydım.
o
that / he / she / it
almak
to take, to buy
olmak
to be
istemek
to want / to require / to call for
keşke
if only / I wish
girişimci
entrepreneur
diploma
diploma
Questions & Answers about Girişimci olmak istiyordum, keşke o diplomayı almasaydım.
How do the suffixes in almasaydım work together to show past regret?
It combines the verb root al (take), the negative suffix -ma, the conditional suffix -sa, the buffer letter -y-, the past tense suffix -dı, and the personal ending -m. When paired with keşke (I wish), the -saydı structure expresses a strong regret about the past. Since this verb is negative, it means I wish I had NOT done it.
Why use the past continuous istiyordum instead of the simple past istedim?
In Turkish, ongoing desires, states of mind, or habits in the past are almost always expressed with the past continuous -(i)yordu. Since wanting to be an entrepreneur was a continuing state rather than a one-time event, istiyordum is the natural choice.
Why does diploma take the -yı ending here?
The word diplomayı is in the accusative case, which marks a specific direct object. Because the sentence uses o (that) to point to a specific diploma, it requires the accusative ending -yı to link it to the verb.
Is almak the usual verb for getting a degree or diploma?
Yes. While almak often means to take or to buy, it is the standard verb in Turkish for receiving official documents, degrees, or certificates, such as diploma almak.
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