Language |
|
|
|
|
|
Do you have a fork please?
|
| 1. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:10 pm |
|
Suppose you're in a restaurant and you want to ask for a fork, because there isn't one next to your plate. What do you ask?
* Bana bir çatal var mı?
* Bana çatalınız var mı?
* Sizde bana bir çatal var mı?
The middle one feels like asking for someone else's fork..
The last one sounds a bit as if the waiter is gonna take one out of his pocket, so I'm not really sure about that one either.
And could you also ask that kind of question with "benim için" instead of "bana"?
What would you suggest?
Sağol! 
|
|
| 2. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:18 pm |
|
"Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen"
Or is that too obvious???
|
|
| 3. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:21 pm |
|
I'm quite sure that is definitely not the way to ask for something. To me that sounds rude.
You don't say "I want a fork", do you?? When in a restaurant, you'd rather ask "do you HAVE a fork for me please?". So according to me it has to be with "var".
|
|
| 4. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:24 pm |
|
Quoting bod: "Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen"
|
Small note: there is no state when you use "bir". So it has to be çatal in your sentence.
|
|
| 5. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:33 pm |
|
Quoting Elisa: Quoting bod: "Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen"
|
Small note: there is no state when you use "bir". So it has to be çatal in your sentence. |
But istemek in the nominal state means "to require" - hence why I used the accusative state to make it clear that is is a desire and not a necessity.......perhaps I should have dropped the "bir"
|
|
| 6. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:36 pm |
|
Quoting Elisa: You don't say "I want a fork", do you?? When in a restaurant, you'd rather ask "do you HAVE a fork for me please?". So according to me it has to be with "var". |
It very much depends on the situation......
If you have caught the waiter's eye and he has come over to you then saying "I want a fork please" is perfectably acceptable. "May I have a fork please" is a little more polite but both would be suitable.
|
|
| 7. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:37 pm |
|
* Bana bir çatal var mı? incorrect
* Bana çatalınız var mı? incorrect
'Bana' means 'to me'. So you can't sonstruct a sentence with "fork" and "to me". It is like asking "Have you a fork to me?".
* Sizde bana bir çatal var mı? incorrect
Again 'bana' causes problem in this sentence. Instead 'bana' if we had used 'benim için' it would be a slight improvment but still incorrect since this time the meaning is unsuitable.
Benim için bir çatal var mı?
Is there a fork for me?
This sounds like, the person is supposed to keep forks that are left for you to take later. This sentence would be suitable in a hotel to ask the reception if you have a message:
Benim için mesaj var mı?
Are there messages for me?
"Benim için çatalınız var mı?"
"Do you have a fork for me?" Again the meaning is incorrect. This sentence implies that the person has many different sizes of forks.
Sizde benim için bir çatal var mı?
Do you have a fork for me.
Again the same meaning as above.
Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen.
This sentence is almost correct. İstemek here takes çatal without the accusative. "bir çatal" is "a fork" (any fork)and we can't use accusative where the object is defined. As you might have realised I normally translate accusative with "the". The correct sentence would be:
"Bir çatal istiyorum lütfen"
This is a very polite and correct way of asking for a fork in a restourant. In general "istiyorum lütfen" is one of the main ways to ask for something politely to a person who is supposed to give it to you.
My version would be as follows:
"Bir çatal alabilir miyim lütfen?"
|
|
| 8. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:43 pm |
|
Quoting erdinc: Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen.
This sentence is almost correct. İstemek here takes çatal without the accusative. The correct sentence would be:
"Bir çatal istiyorum lütfen" |
I did think that istemek was without the accusative case......but the dictionary entry shows it as /ı/
|
|
| 9. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:49 pm |
|
Quoting bod: Quoting erdinc: Bir çatalı istiyorum lütfen.
This sentence is almost correct. İstemek here takes çatal without the accusative. The correct sentence would be:
"Bir çatal istiyorum lütfen" |
I did think that istemek was without the accusative case......but the dictionary entry shows it as /ı/ |
Yes but "bir çatal" is undefined, so there is no need to check what the dictionary says.
|
|
| 10. |
06 Mar 2006 Mon 03:49 pm |
|
Thanks, it's clear to me now!
|
|
|
