Breakdown of O, kibar biri; konuşurken herkese gülümsüyor.
olmak
to be
konuşmak
to speak
o
she
herkes
everyone
Questions & Answers about O, kibar biri; konuşurken herkese gülümsüyor.
What does O mean here? Does it mean “he” or “she”?
O is the third‑person singular pronoun in Turkish and does not mark gender. It can mean “he,” “she,” or “that person,” depending on context. Turkish doesn’t have gendered pronouns; context tells you whether it’s male or female.
Is the comma after O necessary?
It’s optional. You can write O kibar biri; konuşurken herkese gülümsüyor. without the comma. Writers often add a comma after a pronoun used as a topic for a slight pause, but it’s not required.
Why say kibar biri instead of just kibar? Are both correct?
Both are correct:
- O kibar. = “He/She is polite.”
- O, kibar biri. = “He/She is a polite person.” Using …biri roughly corresponds to “a … kind of person,” and can sound a touch more descriptive or characterizing. It’s very common with personality adjectives.
What exactly is biri? Can I say birisi?
Biri is an indefinite pronoun meaning “someone / a person” and is widely used in predicate structures like kibar biri. Birisi is a variant; both are fine, with biri a bit more common in writing. Example: İçeride biri var. “There’s someone inside.”