Question 1

How does the phrase "gibi geldi" create the meaning of "it seemed" in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

This sentence uses the structure [Clause] + gibi + [Dative pronoun] + gelmek. Literally, it says "They are hiding a secret, like, it came to him." The verb gelmek (to come) paired with gibi (like) and a dative pronoun (ona) is the standard Turkish way to express subjective impressions, translating perfectly to "It seemed to him/her like..."

Question 2

Why does the sentence start with two pronouns back-to-back ("Onlar ona")?

Accepted Answer

Onlar (they) is the subject of the inner clause: they are the ones who might be hiding a secret. Ona (to him/her) is the indirect object of the main verb geldi: he or she is the one experiencing the impression. Stacking the subject and the indirect object at the beginning of the sentence is a very common and natural word order in Turkish.

Question 3

Since "onlar" (they) is plural, shouldn't the verb be "saklıyorlar"?

Accepted Answer

It could be, but it is not mandatory. In Turkish, when the plural pronoun onlar is explicitly stated in the sentence, adding the plural suffix -lar or -ler to the verb is optional. Saying Onlar ona sır saklıyorlar gibi geldi would also be grammatically correct, but dropping the suffix is very common to avoid repetition.

Question 4

In English we say "keeping a secret." Does "sır saklıyor" literally mean "hiding a secret"?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The verb saklamak means to hide, conceal, or store. In Turkish, the standard phrases for keeping a secret are sır saklamak (which emphasizes concealing it from others) or sır tutmak (literally "holding a secret"). Both are natural, but saklamak fits the suspicious tone of this sentence perfectly.

Onlar ona sır saklıyor gibi geldi.

Breakdown of Onlar ona sır saklıyor gibi geldi.

Questions & Answers about Onlar ona sır saklıyor gibi geldi.

Learn Onlar ona sır saklıyor gibi geldi and more in Turkish