Question 1

Why is göstermiş mi used here instead of gösterdi mi?

Accepted Answer

The -miş suffix here functions a lot like the English present perfect tense ("Has he provided?"). It also carries the feeling that the speaker is asking about an event they didn't personally witness, checking on the outcome: "Did it turn out that he provided a reason?" Using the simple past gösterdi mi would mean a more direct "Did he provide (at that specific moment)?"

Question 2

What are the two '-i' suffixes at the end of niyetini?

Accepted Answer

The first -i is the third-person possessive suffix, making it niyeti (his intention). The second -i is the accusative case marker, which is required because "his intention" is the specific direct object of the verb. The -n- in the middle is a buffer letter that always appears between a third-person possessive suffix and any case marker.

Question 3

Why does the Turkish sentence use göstermiş (has shown) for "has provided"?

Accepted Answer

In Turkish, you don't typically "give" or "provide" a justification; you "show" it. Gerekçe göstermek (to show a justification) and sebep göstermek (to show a reason) are standard collocations you will hear constantly.

Question 4

Since this lesson is about 'demek ki', how might we naturally use it to follow up on this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Demek ki means "so, it means that..." or "I gather that..." and is used to express a logical deduction. If the answer to these questions is no, you could make a deduction and say: "Hayır. Demek ki asıl niyetini gizlemiş." (No. That means he hid his real intention.)

Geçerli bir gerekçe göstermiş mi? Niyetini hiç sezmedin mi?

Breakdown of Geçerli bir gerekçe göstermiş mi? Niyetini hiç sezmedin mi?

Questions & Answers about Geçerli bir gerekçe göstermiş mi? Niyetini hiç sezmedin mi?

Learn Geçerli bir gerekçe göstermiş mi? Niyetini hiç sezmedin mi and more in Turkish