Word
Bilinçli insanlar, lüzumsuz tüketim yapmak yerine az eşyayla yetinirler.
Meaning
Conscious people, instead of engaging in unnecessary consumption, settle for few belongings.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Bilinçli insanlar, lüzumsuz tüketim yapmak yerine az eşyayla yetinirler.
insan
person
yapmak
to do / to make
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
eşya
belonging / item / stuff (goods, objects)
Questions & Answers about Bilinçli insanlar, lüzumsuz tüketim yapmak yerine az eşyayla yetinirler.
How does the structure yapmak yerine work in this sentence?
To say "instead of doing something" in Turkish, you use the full dictionary form of the verb (the infinitive ending in -mak or -mek) followed by the word yerine. Here, tüketim yapmak yerine literally translates to "instead of doing consumption."
Why does eşyayla have the -yla ending if the English translation says "settle for"?
The verb yetinmek (to settle, to make do, or to be satisfied) requires the instrumental case. This means you must attach the -la or -le suffix (meaning "with") to the thing you are settling for. In Turkish, you literally "settle with" few belongings.
Why is the word eşya singular in Turkish when the translation says "few belongings"?
In Turkish, when a noun follows a quantity word like az (few/little), çok (a lot), or a specific number, it always stays in its singular form. Therefore, it is az eşya rather than az eşyalar.
Why is the verb yetinirler in the aorist tense instead of the present continuous?
The aorist tense, shown here by the -ir suffix before the plural -ler, is used to express general facts, habits, or characteristics of a group. Since this sentence describes a general truth about how conscious people naturally behave, the aorist is the best choice.