Breakdown of Keşke herkes kütüphanede görgü kurallarını bilseydi.
kütüphane
library
bilmek
to know
herkes
everyone
kural
rule
Questions & Answers about Keşke herkes kütüphanede görgü kurallarını bilseydi.
Why is the verb bilseydi instead of just bilse?
The word keşke (I wish / if only) pairs with the conditional suffix -se. Using just bilse makes it a present or future wish: 'I wish everyone knew'. Adding the past tense suffix -di to make bilseydi shifts it to an unrealized past wish: 'I wish everyone had known'.
Since herkes means 'everyone' (multiple people), why doesn't the verb take the plural suffix -ler to become bilseydiler?
In Turkish, indefinite pronouns like herkes (everyone), hiç kimse (no one), and biri (someone) are grammatically singular. Even though they refer to multiple people, the verb must stay in the 3rd person singular form.
Can you break down the suffixes at the end of kurallarını?
Sure! It starts with kural (rule) and -lar (plural). Then comes the compound noun suffix -ı to link it with görgü (forming görgü kuralları, 'rules of etiquette'). Finally, we add the buffer letter -n- and the accusative (specific direct object) suffix -ı, because these specific rules are the direct object being known.