Saatlerce

Saatlerce is a Turkish adverb that indicates a long duration, roughly translating to “for hours” or “for hours on end.” It is formed from saat (hour) joined with the plural suffix -ler to create saatler (hours), and then the adverbial suffix -ce to produce saatlerce, which modifies a verb to express a lengthy action or event.

Etymology and formation: The core idea is combining a time noun with the adverbial suffix -ce to convey extent or duration. When attached to a time noun, saatlerce emphasizes how long something lasts, rather than simply stating the time unit. This construction is productive in both spoken and written Turkish and commonly appears with verbs of waiting, speaking, working, and similar activities.

Usage and examples: Saatlerce bekledim. (I waited for hours.) Saatlerce sürdü. (It lasted for hours.) O, saatlerce konuştu. (He spoke for hours.) Saatlerce süren bir yolculuktu. (It was a journey that lasted for hours.) The expression can be used in formal or informal contexts and often conveys a sense of endurance or tedium associated with the duration.

Relation to other terms: Saatlerce is related to concepts of duration and time, and it often appears alongside verbs that describe actions endured over time. It can be contrasted with shorter expressions such as birkaç saat veya kısa süre boyunca, which indicate more limited time frames.