Learn Turkish: İklim değiştiğinden beri ne zaman kar yağdı? - Since the climate changed, when did it snow?

This structure uses the verb root değiş (to change). We add the participle suffix -dik, the possessive suffix -i (referring to the climate), the buffer -n-, and the ablative suffix -den (from). Finally, we add beri (since). Literally, it translates to "Since from its changing."

Why do we need the possessive suffix -i on the verb here?

In Turkish, action clauses like "the climate changed" are turned into noun phrases using the -dik suffix. To connect the subject (İklim) to the action, Turkish uses possession. You are literally saying "the climate's changing," which is why the third-person possessive -i is required before adding the ablative case and beri.

I learned the suffix as -dik, so why is it -tiğ in this sentence?

Two things are happening here. First, the -d changes to -t because the verb root değiş ends in a voiceless consonant (ş). Second, the -k softens to -ğ because it is followed by a vowel (the possessive -i). So the underlying -dik becomes -tiğ.

Why does the sentence use kar yağdı for "it snowed"?