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Questions & Answers about Ben yıldızları sayıyorum.
Why does the sentence start with Ben, and is it necessary?
In Turkish the subject pronoun ben (I) is usually optional because the verb ending already tells you the subject. You include ben here for emphasis or clarity. Saying Yıldızları sayıyorum alone still means “I am counting the stars.”
What does the suffix -ları in yıldızları represent?
The -ları suffix is actually two parts: the plural marker -lar plus the definite direct-object (accusative) marker -ı. Altogether it shows you’re counting specific stars (the stars) in the plural.
Why is it yıldızları and not yıldızleri or simply yıldızlar?
Because of Turkish vowel harmony, yıldız has a back vowel (ı), so the plural is -lar (not -ler). Then you add the accusative -ı, yielding yıldızları. Without -ı, yıldızlar would mean just “(some) stars.”
What’s the difference between yıldızlar and yıldızları?
Yıldızlar = “stars” (plural, indefinite).
Yıldızları = “the stars” (plural, definite direct object) thanks to the accusative -ı.
What tense and aspect does sayıyorum express?
Sayıyorum is the present-continuous (progressive) form: “I am counting.”
How is sayıyorum built up from the verb root?
• say- (root: “count”)
• +(I)yor (present-continuous suffix; vowel harmonizes to ı) → say-ıyor
• +-um (1st person singular ending)
= sayıyorum
Why does the suffix appear as -ıyor and not -iyor?
Turkish vowel harmony: after the back vowel a in say, the progressive suffix uses a back unrounded vowel (ı), so it becomes -ıyor.
Can you drop Ben or move the words around?
Yes. The neutral order is Subject-Object-Verb: Ben yıldızları sayıyorum or simply Yıldızları sayıyorum. You can also front yıldızları for emphasis (“It’s the stars that I’m counting”) or even say Yıldızları ben sayıyorum to stress “I” as the one doing the counting.
How do you make the sentence negative (“I am not counting the stars”)?
Insert the negative suffix -ma before -(I)yor:
say- → sayma
sayma + iyor → saymıyor
saymıyor + um → saymıyorum
So: (Ben) yıldızları saymıyorum.
How would you turn it into a question: “Am I counting the stars?”
Add the question particle mı after the verb ending and harmonize it:
Yıldızları sayıyor muyum?
You can add Ben for clarity: Ben yıldızları sayıyor muyum?