Yapabilirdik

Yapabilirdik is a Turkish word that translates to "we could have done" or "we could do". It is the past conditional form of the verb "yapmak" (to do/make). The suffix "-bilirdik" indicates possibility or capability in the past that was not realized, or a general capability that exists.

The word is formed by taking the verb stem "yap", adding the potential mood suffix "-abil" (or "-ebil" depending on vowel harmony), and then attaching the past conditional suffix "-dir" which is followed by the first-person plural possessive suffix "-ik". Thus, yap-abil-dir-ik. However, the "-dir" is often dropped in spoken Turkish, leaving "yapabilirdik".

This grammatical construction is used to express regret about something that was possible but not done, or to state a general ability that existed in the past. For example, if someone is discussing a past opportunity that was missed, they might say "O zamanlar para biriktirebilirdik, ama yapmadık" which means "We could have saved money back then, but we didn't." It can also be used to describe a past capability, such as "Çok gençken bu işi yapabilirdik" meaning "When we were very young, we could do this job." The context of the sentence clearly determines whether it refers to a missed past opportunity or a past ability.