Breakdown of Aşınmış merdivenlere ve sararmış kâğıtlara bastık.
ve
and
kâğıt
paper
basmak
to press
merdiven
ladder / stairs
aşınmak
to wear out / to abrade
sararmak
to turn yellow
Questions & Answers about Aşınmış merdivenlere ve sararmış kâğıtlara bastık.
How does the "-mış" ending work in "aşınmış" and "sararmış" here?
In this sentence, -mış is used to turn a verb into an adjective that describes the completed state of a noun (a past participle). Aşınmak means "to wear out", so aşınmış is the adjective "worn-out". Similarly, sararmak means "to turn yellow", so sararmış describes papers that have already turned yellow.
Why do we use the dative endings "-e" and "-a" on the nouns? Doesn't "stepped on" usually take the locative "-da/-de"?
In English, we step on things, which makes the locative case (-da/-de) feel natural. However, in Turkish, the verb basmak (to step/press) requires the dative case (-e/-a) to show the target or direction of your step. You are essentially stepping onto the stairs and papers.
What is the root of the verb in "sararmış"? It looks a lot like "sarı" (yellow).
You spotted it! The verb sararmak (to turn yellow or pale) is derived from the adjective sarı (yellow). When the suffix -armak (used to create verbs meaning "to become [adjective]") is added, the final ı in sarı drops out: sarı + armak = sararmak.
Why do we have to put the plural and dative endings on both "merdivenlere" and "kâğıtlara"? Could I just say "merdiven ve kâğıtlara"?
When you connect two distinct nouns with ve (and) that both receive the action of the verb, you generally need to attach the necessary plural and case suffixes to both words. Leaving the suffixes off the first word would sound unnatural or imply that "stairs and papers" are a single, fused concept rather than two separate items.
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