Breakdown of Örgüye başladıysa ilmek sayısını biliyor.
başlamak
to begin, to start
bilmek
to know
sayı
number (quantity)
örgü
knitting / braid
Questions & Answers about Örgüye başladıysa ilmek sayısını biliyor.
How does başladıysa form the 'if she has started' meaning?
It combines the definite past suffix -dı with the conditional copula -(y)sa. This creates a past real conditional, referring to a condition that may actually be true. If you wanted the unreal past ('if she had started, but she didn't'), you would instead use başlasaydı.
Why does örgü (knitting) take the dative case to become örgüye?
In Turkish, the verb başlamak (to begin or start) always takes the dative case (-e or -a) for the object being started. You are grammatically saying she started 'to' the knitting.
Can you break down the suffixes attached to sayısını?
It starts with the noun sayı (number or count). It forms a noun compound with ilmek (stitch), so it needs the possessive suffix -sı to make ilmek sayısı (stitch count). Because this entire phrase is the specific direct object of the verb biliyor, we add the accusative case -ı, separated by the buffer letter -n-.
Is it normal to pair a past conditional with a present continuous main verb like biliyor?
Yes, this is very common! This is a mixed-time real conditional. The condition already happened in the past (she started the knitting), and the result is true in the present (she currently knows the count).