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Questions & Answers about Mobilya eski fakat temiz.
What does mobilya mean in English?
Mobilya means furniture. It refers to items like chairs, tables, sofas, etc., that you typically find in a home or office.
What do the adjectives eski and temiz mean?
Eski means old, and temiz means clean. Together they describe the furniture’s condition as one that is aged yet well-maintained.
What is the function of fakat in the sentence?
Fakat is a conjunction meaning but. It connects the two contrasting qualities—being old and being clean—to show that despite one negative aspect (old), there is a positive aspect (clean).
Why is there no verb equivalent to “is” in the sentence?
In Turkish, the linking verb (copula) is often omitted in the present tense, especially in simple descriptive sentences. So rather than saying “Furniture is old but clean,” Turkish simply states Mobilya eski fakat temiz.
Why do the adjectives appear after the subject instead of before it?
When adjectives are used in a predicative position (as descriptions following the subject), Turkish places them after the subject without a linking verb. In contrast, if you want to directly modify the noun, you would say eski mobilya (“old furniture”). Here, the adjectives form the predicate describing mobilya.
How does the Turkish sentence structure differ from English in this example?
Turkish typically uses a Subject-Predicate construction where the state or condition of the subject is described without an explicit verb in the present tense. In English, we need a linking verb (like “is”), so the equivalent sentence would be “Furniture is old but clean.” This omission of “is” illustrates a common difference between Turkish and English sentence structure.
Can the order of the adjectives be changed for different emphasis?
Yes, you can change the order depending on what you want to emphasize. However, the given order in Mobilya eski fakat temiz highlights a balanced contrast: it acknowledges that the furniture is old while also stressing that it remains clean. Changing the order might subtly shift the focus or emphasis in the description.