Breakdown of Hukuk okudum ama çok pişmanım, keşke kariyerimi değiştirseydim.
çok
very
okumak
to read
ama
but
değiştirmek
to change
Questions & Answers about Hukuk okudum ama çok pişmanım, keşke kariyerimi değiştirseydim.
How does the ending on değiştirseydim break down to mean 'I had changed'?
It uses the past regret structure from this lesson. It combines the verb stem değiştir (change), the conditional suffix -se (if), the buffer letter -y-, the past tense suffix -di, and the personal ending -m (I). Together with keşke, the -seydi ending expresses a wish about the past: 'if only I had changed'.
Why do we use okudum (I read) for 'I studied law'? Can I use çalıştım?
In Turkish, okumak (to read) is the standard verb for majoring in a subject, attending a school, or getting a degree. You use çalışmak when you are actively studying for a test or doing homework, but you use okumak for studying a broader field like law (hukuk).
Why does the word kariyerimi have two suffixes at the end?
The first suffix is the possessive -im (my), making it kariyerim (my career). The second is the accusative case suffix -i. Because 'my career' is the specific direct object of the verb değiştirmek (to change), it requires this accusative ending.
I translated 'I regret' but the sentence says pişmanım. Is this a verb?