Breakdown of Dün kolu hiç kaşınmıyordu, ama şimdi kabarmış olabilir.
şimdi
now
hiç
at all / any
olmak
to be
kol
arm / handle
Questions & Answers about Dün kolu hiç kaşınmıyordu, ama şimdi kabarmış olabilir.
Why use the past-focused -mış olabilir if the sentence says şimdi (now)?
-mış olabilir expresses that an action might have already happened. Even though we are observing the arm şimdi (now), the physical process of breaking out in a rash (kabarmak) would have already occurred leading up to this moment, resulting in its current swollen state.
How does kaşınmıyordu mean "wasn't itching" if the root word relates to scratching?
The base verb is kaşımak (to scratch). Adding the reflexive suffix -n gives us kaşınmak. While it literally means "to scratch oneself," in Turkish it is the standard intransitive verb used when a body part "itches."
Is kolu the accusative form ("the arm") or the possessive form ("his arm") here?
It is the 3rd person possessive form (kol-u, "his/her arm"). We know it isn't the accusative case because the arm is the subject doing the itching (kaşınmıyordu), not the direct object of an action.
What exactly does kabarmak mean when talking about skin?
Kabarmak generally means to swell, puff up, or rise (like baking dough). When used for skin conditions, it specifically means to break out in raised bumps, hives, or blisters, rather than just turning red.