Breakdown of Çocuklar akrobatlara korkarak bakakalıyor.
çocuk
child
korkmak
to fear
akrobat
acrobat
bakakalmak
to stare in awe
Questions & Answers about Çocuklar akrobatlara korkarak bakakalıyor.
How does bakakalıyor mean "stare"?
It is a compound verb made from the root bak- (to look) and the frozen state suffix -akalmak. This suffix is used when someone is frozen or stuck doing an action, often out of surprise or shock. Literally, it means "to remain looking," which perfectly translates to "stare" in this context.
Why use the verb form korkarak to say "in fear"?
Korkarak is built from the verb korkmak (to fear) plus the suffix -(y)arak / -(y)erek. This suffix turns a verb into an adverb that describes how another action is happening. Literally meaning "by fearing" or "while fearing," it acts as the phrase "in fear" in English.
Why do the acrobats have the dative ending in akrobatlara?
The base verb bakmak (to look) always requires the dative case (-(y)e / -(y)a) for the object being looked at. Because bakakalmak is a compound built on bak-, it follows the exact same rule. In Turkish, you are looking "to" the acrobats.
Could we use the simple present tense bakakalır instead of bakakalıyor?
Using the simple present bakakalır would mean the children "always stare" or "generally stare" at acrobats. The continuous -ıyor ending is used here because this is a specific, temporary event happening right now.