http://www.turkishclass.com/turkish_lesson_348

cud anyone explain me this lesson pliz??

From what I understand, this lesson is about the -l- derivative suffix, which, added to adjective X, gives the meaning of to become X

This is similar to what happens in English with -en in short-en.

Note that shorten can also be used in a transitive fashion, but with kısalmak you´d need to add an extra suffix -t- to make it transitive.

It is not clear to me however what decides which suffix (if any) to use:

Adjective -> to become X -> to make become X
küçük (small) -> küçüklmek -> küçültmek
büyük (big)-> büyükmek -> büyütmek
kara (black) -> kararmak -> karartmak

Perhaps someone with more insight could enlighten us?

That suffix   -l [al,el ]  generally alters the words  into reflexive verbs.

Az [little,few ]

Az + al ---> Azalmak

to become less, to run low

Telefonun şarjı azalıyor. ---> The battery of the phone is running low.

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Boş [empty]

Boş  + al  ----> Boşalmak

to get empty, to become empty

Baraj boşalıyor. --> The dam is getting [becoming ] empty.

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*note : if the word ends with "k" , it drops before taking this suffix. And the extra "ü" drops as well.

Küçük [small]

Küçük +ül  ----> Küçülmek [ to become [get] small]

*note : Reflexive verb : reflexive verb - a verb whose agent performs an action that is directed at the agent; "`perjure´ is a reflexive verb because you cannot perjure anyone but yourself"

Another example of reflexive verb is ;  Yıkanmak - to wash oneself

                          O yıkandı. ---> He/She washed himself/herself