Breakdown of Sakladığın kasayı açsa açsa şu hırsız açmıştır.
şu
that (pointed out)
açmak
to open
saklamak
to hide / to keep
kasa
safe (strongbox)
Questions & Answers about Sakladığın kasayı açsa açsa şu hırsız açmıştır.
How does açsa açsa translate to 'only' in this sentence?
This is the reduplicated conditional structure you are learning now. By repeating the verb with the conditional suffix -sa (açsa açsa), it creates an exclusive possibility. It literally feels like 'if anyone were to open it, if anyone were to open it... it would be that thief.' In natural English, this translates to 'Only that thief could have opened it.'
Why does the sentence end with açmıştır instead of just açtı?
The suffix -tır added to the evidential past -mış creates a strong deduction or assumption. The speaker didn't witness the thief opening the safe, but based on the circumstances, they are making a confident logical conclusion: 'must have opened' or 'surely opened.'
As a quick refresher, why do we use sakladığın here instead of saklayan for 'that you hid'?
We use the object participle -dık (which here takes the 2nd person possessive to become -dığın) because 'you' are the subject doing the hiding, and the safe is the object being hidden. If you used the subject participle saklayan, it would mean 'the safe that is hiding something', making the safe the active doer of the verb.
What is the nuance of using şu instead of o for 'that thief'?
While both mean 'that', şu is used to draw attention to something specific, often something just introduced into the conversation or physically pointed out. It implies a sense of 'this particular thief we are talking about right now.'