Breakdown of Farklı bir branş seçeceğim. Kaldı ki, bu alanda uzmanlaşmak zor.
bu
this
bir
a / an
zor
difficult
seçmek
to choose
farklı
different
alan
area / zone
kaldı ki
moreover / besides (the fact remains, anyway)
branş
branch / field (of study or specialty)
uzmanlaşmak
to specialize
Questions & Answers about Farklı bir branş seçeceğim. Kaldı ki, bu alanda uzmanlaşmak zor.
How exactly does kaldı ki work in this sentence?
Kaldı ki translates roughly to "besides," "moreover," or "what's more." It is used to introduce an additional argument that strongly supports or reinforces the previous statement. Here, the speaker has already stated they will choose a different branch, and the fact that it is hard to specialize in the current one acts as an extra, undeniable reason justifying that choice.
The sentence uses both branş and alan to refer to a field of study or work. Is there a difference between them?
Yes, there is a helpful nuance here. Alan is a broad term for an "area" or "field" in general. Branş (borrowed from French) is usually more specific, referring to a sub-division, specialty, or branch within a larger profession or institution, such as a specific medical specialty or a distinct discipline in sports.
Why is the dictionary form uzmanlaşmak (to specialize) used instead of a conjugated verb?
In the second sentence, the entire phrase bu alanda uzmanlaşmak (specializing in this field) acts as the subject of the sentence. When an action itself is the subject, Turkish uses the infinitive -mAk form. The sentence literally means "To specialize in this field is hard."
Is there a hidden "is" at the end of the sentence? Shouldn't it be zordur?
Yes! In written or formal Turkish, you will often see zordur here, using the -DIr suffix to state a general, objective fact. However, in everyday language and even standard conversational writing, it is extremely common to drop this suffix when stating a fact, leaving just the bare adjective zor.
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