Learn Turkish: Çatlayacak kadar çok yedik. - We ate so much that we could burst.

It uses the verb root çatla (from çatlamak, to burst) with the suffix -yacak, followed by kadar (as much as). The structure verb + -(y)AcAk kadar is used to show the extreme degree of an action. Here, it literally translates to 'to the point of bursting'.

Why do we use the future suffix -yacak in çatlayacak if the eating already happened in the past (yedik)?

In this structure, the -(y)AcAk suffix does not indicate future time. Instead, it acts as a participle showing the potential result or limit of the action (a degree that could happen). The actual time of the sentence is always determined by the main verb at the end, which is yedik (we ate).

Does the verb çatlamak literally mean to burst?

Yes, çatlamak means to crack, split, or burst. Just like in English, Turkish speakers use it figuratively to describe being incredibly full from eating.

Could I say Çatlayacak kadar yedik without using çok?

Yes, Çatlayacak kadar yedik is perfectly natural and means 'We ate enough to burst'. Adding çok just provides a bit more emphasis, similar to saying 'We ate so much that we could burst'.