Breakdown of Başarılı yüzücü altın madalya kazandı.
başarılı
successful
kazanmak
to earn / to win
madalya
medal
altın
gold
yüzücü
swimmer
Questions & Answers about Başarılı yüzücü altın madalya kazandı.
How does the suffix on yüzücü work to mean "swimmer"?
The word comes from the verb root yüz- (to swim). We add the agentive suffix -ücü (which follows 4-way vowel harmony: -ıcı, -ici, -ucu, -ücü). This suffix takes a verb and turns it into a noun describing someone or something that regularly performs that action.
Does the suffix -(y)ıcı / -(y)ücü only refer to people?
No, it can also refer to objects, tools, or substances that perform the action. While yüzücü means "swimmer" (a person) here, it can also refer to a "float" or floating mechanism in technical contexts. Another common example is soğutucu (cooler/refrigerator) from soğutmak (to cool).
Why isn't it altın madalyası? Doesn't a noun describing another noun usually require a possessive compound?
Normally, yes. However, when a noun describes the material something is made of—such as altın (gold), gümüş (silver), or ahşap (wood)—it acts as a direct adjective. You don't use the possessive suffix on the second word, so it remains simply altın madalya.
Why is there no accusative case marker on altın madalya? Shouldn't it be altın madalyayı kazandı?
If the sentence meant "The successful swimmer won the gold medal" (a specific, previously mentioned medal), it would be altın madalyayı. But here, they won "a gold medal" (indefinite). Indefinite direct objects don't take the accusative case suffix and must be placed immediately before the verb.
Learn Başarılı yüzücü altın madalya kazandı and more in Turkish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free