Breakdown of Bu problemin üstesinden geliriz, biz kendi kendimize yeteriz.
bu
this
biz
we
problem
problem
kendi kendine
by itself / by oneself (also: kendi kendime, kendi kendimize)
yetmek
to suffice, be enough
üstesinden gelmek
to overcome, to handle
Questions & Answers about Bu problemin üstesinden geliriz, biz kendi kendimize yeteriz.
How is kendi kendimize formed in this sentence, and why does it have the -e ending?
The phrase is built as kendi + kendi + -miz (our) + -e (dative case). The verb yetmek (to be enough or to suffice) requires the dative case because you are being enough 'for' someone or something. So literally, this phrase means 'we are enough for our own selves'.
Does adding the extra kendi in kendi kendimize yeteriz change the meaning compared to just saying kendimize yeteriz?
Grammatically, you could just say kendimize yeteriz, which already means 'we are enough for ourselves'. However, the reduplication (repeating the word) is what gives it the strong, idiomatic meaning of being completely independent and self-sufficient, relying on absolutely no one else.
Why does the word problem take the genitive suffix -in here?
It is because of the phrase üstesinden gelmek, a fixed idiom meaning 'to overcome' or 'to handle'. It is formed like a possessive compound, literally translating to 'to come from its top'. Because of this structure, the thing you are overcoming acts as the owner and must take the genitive case, resulting in problemin üstesinden.
The translation says 'We will overcome', so why use the aorist tense (geliriz) instead of the future tense (geleceğiz)?
In Turkish, the aorist tense (using the -ir or -er suffix) isn't just for habits; it is heavily used for making promises, expressing capabilities, or offering confident reassurances. By using geliriz and yeteriz, the speaker is confidently stating 'we have what it takes to handle this' rather than just predicting a future event.
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