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Questions & Answers about Yılbaşında beraber yemek yapıyoruz.
How do we get "At New Year" from the word yılbaşında?
It is a combination of yıl (year) and baş (head or beginning). Joined together, yılbaşı means "New Year". To say "at" New Year, we add the location suffix -da, along with a buffer letter -n-, creating yılbaşında.
Why do we need the buffer letter -n- in yılbaşında?
The word yılbaşı is a compound noun ending in a possessive suffix (-ı). In Turkish, whenever you add a spatial suffix like -da (in/at/on) to a word that already ends in a possessive suffix, you must use the buffer letter -n- to connect them smoothly instead of the usual -y-.
The translation says "we cook", but doesn't yemek mean "to eat"?
The word yemek can be the verb "to eat", but it is also the noun for "food" or "meal". To say "to cook", Turkish pairs this noun with the verb yapmak (to do/make). So yemek yapıyoruz literally translates to "we make food".
Why does the verb yapıyoruz use the continuous -ıyor ending if it means "we cook" generally?
While English usually uses the simple present for habits and routines (like cooking every New Year), Turkish often uses the present continuous -ıyor tense for both things happening right now and regular habits.