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birkaç and birçok + plural or singular?
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| 1. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 01:33 pm |
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The singular indefinite article in Turkish is : bir - "a, an, one". The plural indefinite article in Turkish is: "bazı" - 'some, any'.
"Bazı" always takes the plural. How about "birkaç" - 'an amount, a few'.
'birçok'- 'a lot of, many'?
For instance, how will it be correct to translate the following:
1) There are a few flowers in the garden.
Bahçede birkaç çiçekler var.
or
Bahçede birkaç çiçek var.
2) There are many flowers in the garden.
Bahçede birçok çiçekler var.
or
Bahçede birçok çiçek var.
Teşekkür ederim,
Mella
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| 2. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 02:07 pm |
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birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun.
Example:
birkaç elma : a few apples
birkaç soru : a few questions
birçok kişi : many people
birçok kelime : many words
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| 3. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 02:49 pm |
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It seems to me that the only time the -ler suffix is used is when the pluralism of the noun cannot be understood by the rest of the sentence. So 'many', 'a few', 'five', etc. suggest that it is plural already, therefore the -ler suffix in unnecessary, tautologous even.
Is that about right?
Saat bire çeyrek var (12:45)
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| 4. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 03:34 pm |
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Quoting erdinc: birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun. |
This seems to contradict the information here:
http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
An example given is:
Bahçede bazı kediler var. - There are some cats inthe garden.
In this case "cats" is certainly written in the plural form.
Forget that - it is me reading it all wrong 
*looks puzzled*
- Şaşırtıyorum -
Saat biryi yirmi sekiz geçiyor (13:28)
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| 5. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 03:51 pm |
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Quoting bod: Quoting erdinc: birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun. |
This seems to contradict the information here:
http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
An example given is:
Bahçede bazı kediler var. - There are some cats inthe garden.
In this case "cats" is certainly written in the plural form.
Forget that - it is me reading it all wrong
*looks puzzled*
- Şaşırtıyorum -
Saat biryi yirmi sekiz geçiyor (13:28) |
I read the sentences in this page http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
but really they all sound very absurd.
If this is the turkish they teach in this site, you should never learn it here.
OK, some is bazı, but
Bahçede bazı kediler var. isn't a used sentence in turkish.
There are not any cats in the garden.
The translation should be: Bahçede hiç kedi yok. not bahçede bazı kediler yok.
- Are there any cats in the garden? It should be Bahçede hiç kedi var mı? not Bahçede bazı kediler var mı?
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| 6. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 05:25 pm |
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Quoting erdinc: birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun.
Example:
birkaç elma : a few apples
birkaç soru : a few questions
birçok kişi : many people
birçok kelime : many words |
Thank You, Erdinç!
Now it is clear for me.
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| 7. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 05:27 pm |
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Quoting bod: Quoting erdinc: birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun. |
This seems to contradict the information here:
http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
An example given is:
Bahçede bazı kediler var. - There are some cats inthe garden.
In this case "cats" is certainly written in the plural form.
Forget that - it is me reading it all wrong
*looks puzzled*
- Şaşırtıyorum -
Saat biryi yirmi sekiz geçiyor (13:28) |
Dear Bod,
Just as I mention, "bazı" always takes plural noun.
And as our dear Erdinç posted, "birçok" and "birkaç" take the singular noun.
So I think you didn't got it right.
See you later,
Mella
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| 8. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 07:21 pm |
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Mella,
You can also use kimi for both singular and plural nouns.
kimi durumlar = some cases/situations
Kimi insanlar sevecendir. = Some people are kind.
"kimi insan otların kimi insan balıkların çeşidini bilir
ben ayrılıkların
kimi insan ezbere sayar yıldızların adını
ben hasretlerin"
"some people know all about plants some about fish
I know separation
some people know the names of the stars by heart
I recite absences"
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| 9. |
11 Jan 2006 Wed 10:19 pm |
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Teşekkür ederim, Cyrano!
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| 10. |
12 Jan 2006 Thu 03:13 am |
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Quoting mltm: Quoting bod: Quoting erdinc: birçok : many
birkaç : a few
Both take the singular noun. |
This seems to contradict the information here:
http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
An example given is:
Bahçede bazı kediler var. - There are some cats inthe garden.
In this case "cats" is certainly written in the plural form.
Forget that - it is me reading it all wrong
*looks puzzled*
- Şaşırtıyorum -
Saat biryi yirmi sekiz geçiyor (13:28) |
I read the sentences in this page http://www.turkishlanguage.co.uk/defarts.htm
but really they all sound very absurd.
If this is the turkish they teach in this site, you should never learn it here.
OK, some is bazı, but
Bahçede bazı kediler var. isn't a used sentence in turkish.
There are not any cats in the garden.
The translation should be: Bahçede hiç kedi yok. not bahçede bazı kediler yok.
- Are there any cats in the garden? It should be Bahçede hiç kedi var mı? not Bahçede bazı kediler var mı?
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The correct translation of "there are 'some' cats in the garden" is:
Bahçede birkaç kedi var. Bahçede bazı kediler var sounds wrong. I just thought i'd give a translation for the question asked by Bod.
Unfortunately the turkishlanguage.co.uk site seems to have numerous errors. It's probably best to make them known to the woman who runs the site so it can be improved, rather than mentioning them on a forum.
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