Breakdown of Eğer o patron olsaydı, gömlekler atölyede makineciye diktirilirdi.
o
that / he / she / it
olmak
to be
gömlek
shirt
patron
boss
Questions & Answers about Eğer o patron olsaydı, gömlekler atölyede makineciye diktirilirdi.
How do we get "would be ordered to be sewn" from diktirilirdi?
This verb is a great example of stacking suffixes! It starts with the root dik (sew). Then we add the causative -tir to make diktir (have something sewn). Next is the passive -il making diktiril (be ordered to be sewn). Finally, we add the lesson's target structure for hypothetical outcomes: the aorist -ir plus the past tense -di, giving us diktirilirdi (would be ordered to be sewn).
Why is "by the machinist" translated as makineciye using the dative case instead of a word like tarafından?
In English, we say "ordered to be sewn by the machinist". However, in Turkish, because the verb contains the causative suffix (-tir), the person who is made to do the action takes the dative case (-ye). So, makineciye literally shows to whom the task is being assigned.
Why does olsaydı have both -sa and -dı suffixes?
This combination creates an unreal or hypothetical condition, equivalent to "If he were..." in English. The -sa is the conditional suffix (if), and the -y-dı is the past tense ending. Together, they show that this is a hypothetical situation in the present: he is not actually the boss right now.
Is the word eğer necessary here since olsaydı already means "if he were"?