Breakdown of Bu çiçeksi parfümde yasemin var, onu koklamadan duramıyorum.
bu
this
o
that / he / she / it
var
there is / existent
durmak
to stop, to stand
parfüm
perfume
koklamak
to smell (sniff)
yasemin
jasmine
çiçeksi
floral
Questions & Answers about Bu çiçeksi parfümde yasemin var, onu koklamadan duramıyorum.
How does koklamadan duramıyorum translate to "I cannot help but smell it"?
This uses the lesson's core structure -mAdAn duramamak, which literally means "to be unable to stay without doing something." Here, the verb root kokla- (to smell) takes the suffix -madan (without). This is followed by duramıyorum, which contains the inability suffix -a- (dur-a-mı-yor-um) meaning "I am unable to stand/stay." Together, they express an irresistible urge.
Could I say koklamadan edemiyorum instead in this sentence?
Yes, -mAdAn edememek is practically interchangeable with -mAdAn duramamak for expressing "cannot help but do." Using duramıyorum just adds a slight nuance of being unable to physically or mentally hold yourself back from the perfume, but the overall meaning is exactly the same here.
Why do we use the accusative onu instead of just o?
The verb koklamak (to smell) is transitive, meaning it takes a direct object. Because you are referring to a specific, previously mentioned thing in the first clause (the perfume or the jasmine), "it" must take the specific accusative case, making it onu.
How is the adjective çiçeksi formed?
It is formed by adding the suffix -si to the noun çiçek (flower). The -si or -msi suffix translates roughly to "-like" or "-ish" in English, which turns the noun into the adjective çiçeksi meaning "floral" or "flower-like".
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