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Questions & Answers about Dokuz kedi odada uyuyor.
Why is kedi not in the plural form (like kediler) even though there are nine of them?
In Turkish, when you use a specific number before a noun, the noun itself stays in the singular and you omit the plural suffix. So dokuz kedi literally means “nine cat,” but it conveys “nine cats.” Saying dokuz kediler would be ungrammatical.
What does the suffix -da in odada mean?
The suffix -da is the locative case marker, meaning “in” or “at.” You attach it to a noun to show location. Here, oda (“room”) + -da → odada, “in the room.”
Why is there no article like “the” or “a” in Turkish?
Turkish has no separate words for “a” or “the.” Context tells you whether something is definite or indefinite. So odada can mean either “in a room” or “in the room,” depending on what you already know.
Why is the verb uyuyor not uyuyorlar, since the subject (cats) is plural?
In Turkish, when the subject is explicitly expressed (especially with a number), the verb may stay in its singular form and still refer to multiple subjects. So uyuyor (3rd person singular) naturally carries the meaning “they are sleeping” here. You could use uyuyorlar for emphasis (“they are indeed sleeping”), but it’s optional.
What tense/aspect is uyuyor, and how is it formed?
uyuyor is the present continuous (progressive), meaning “is/are sleeping right now.” It’s built like this:
- Base verb: uyu- (“to sleep”)
- Buffer consonant y (to prevent two vowels from clashing)
- Progressive suffix -yor (vowel-harmonized: o because u is a back vowel) → uyu + y + or = uyuyor
Is Turkish word order fixed, and why does this sentence go Dokuz kedi odada uyuyor?
Turkish is generally Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), but it’s flexible for emphasis or topic.
- Dokuz kedi odada uyuyor (Number + subject + location + verb) highlights the fact “nine cats are sleeping.”
- You could say Odada dokuz kedi uyuyor to emphasize “in the room, nine cats are sleeping.”
- Kediler odada uyuyor (“The cats are sleeping in the room”) works too but loses the number focus.
Why isn’t there a separate word for “is/are” in uyuyor?
In Turkish, most verbs carry their own “to be” meaning via verb endings or aspect markers. You don’t need a standalone copula in the progressive. uyuyor already means “(they) are sleeping.”
What’s the difference between odada (one word) and oda da (two words)?
- odada (one word) = “in the room” (locative case).
- oda da (two words) = “the room also” or “room too,” where da functions as the conjunction “also/too.” Context and spelling (space vs. none) tell them apart.