Breakdown of Sonuç olarak, görevlerini savsakladıkları yetmiyormuş gibi, bu çileyi biz çektik.
bu
this
biz
we
görev
task
gibi
like (similar to)
sonuç olarak
in conclusion
çekmek
to suffer / experience (in collocations like 'yabancılık çekmek')
yetmek
to suffice, be enough
savsaklamak
to slack off / to shirk (to neglect a task)
çile
ordeal / suffering
Questions & Answers about Sonuç olarak, görevlerini savsakladıkları yetmiyormuş gibi, bu çileyi biz çektik.
How is the "as if it weren't enough" structure formed in this sentence?
It combines a noun clause with a set phrase. First, the verb savsaklamak (to neglect/slack off) takes the participle -dık and the third-person plural possessive -ları to form savsakladıkları (the fact that they slacked off). Then, you add the phrase yetmiyormuş gibi, which literally means "as if it is not sufficing."
Why does yetmiyormuş gibi use the -muş suffix?
In Turkish, hypothetical or "as if" scenarios are typically formed by combining the inferential past suffix (-mış / -muş) with gibi. Here, yetmiyor (it isn't enough) becomes yetmiyormuş gibi (as if it weren't enough). You will also frequently see this exact same structure using the aorist tense as yetmezmiş gibi, which is completely interchangeable here.
Can you break down the suffixes on the word görevlerini?
It breaks down as görev (duty) + -leri (their, plural possessive) + -n- (buffer letter) + -i (accusative case). The accusative case is needed because "their duties" is the direct object of the verb savsaklamak.
Why use the verb çektik (we pulled) for "we suffered"?
The literal meaning of çekmek is "to pull" or "to draw," but it is the standard verb used in Turkish for enduring hardships. Just as you say acı çekmek (to suffer pain), the collocation çile çekmek means to endure an ordeal, suffer a great deal, or go through a very hard time.
Why is the subject biz (we) placed right before the verb instead of at the beginning of the clause?
In Turkish, the word placed immediately before the verb carries the strongest emphasis. By moving biz from the start of the clause (biz bu çileyi çektik) to the pre-verb position (bu çileyi biz çektik), the speaker emphasizes exactly who paid the price: "they slacked off, but we were the ones who suffered the ordeal."
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