Learn Turkish: Böcekler çoğalmakla kalmayıp bütün tarlayı mahvetti. - The insects didn't just multiply, they ruined the whole field.

This structure uses the infinitive -mAk + -lA (with) + kalmayıp (not staying/stopping and). Literally, it translates to 'not stopping with multiplying and...'. In Turkish, this is the standard, slightly formal way to express 'not only [action A] but also [action B]'.

Why use the suffix -ıp in kalmayıp instead of just saying kalmadı ve?

The converb -ıp connects two verbs performed by the same subject, effectively replacing ve (and). While kalmadı ve is understandable, the -mAkla kalmayıp construction acts as a set phrase in Turkish. Using -ıp links the two actions tightly, showing that the first action is part of a larger, connected chain of events.

Why is mahvetti written as one word, and what is its root?

It is a compound verb formed from the Arabic loanword mahiv (destruction) and the helper verb etmek (to do/make). When they combine, the second vowel in mahiv drops, and the words merge into the single word mahvetmek. Here, it takes the definite past tense suffix -ti.

Could I express this same meaning using sadece (only)?