Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sıradışı fotoğraflar sergide dikkat çekiyor. - Unusual photographs attract attention at the exhibition.

It means “to attract attention” or “to draw attention.” Literally it’s “to pull attention”: dikkat (attention) + çekmek (to pull). In the sentence you see it conjugated: dikkat çekiyor = “is attracting attention.”

Why isn’t dikkat in the accusative here? How do I say “attract someone’s attention”?

In the generic idiom dikkat çekmek, dikkat stays bare (no case). To specify whose attention, add a possessor and use the accusative on dikkat:

X’in dikkatini çekmek = “to attract X’s attention” Example: Bu tablo izleyicilerin dikkatini çekiyor.

Should the verb be çekiyor or çekiyorlar since the subject is plural?

Use singular: Sıradışı fotoğraflar … dikkat çekiyor. With non-human plural subjects, Turkish usually keeps the verb in 3rd person singular. … dikkat çekiyorlar is grammatical but sounds marked with inanimate subjects and is normally avoided.

Why present continuous çekiyor and not aorist çeker?

-yor describes something happening now or currently ongoing (at this exhibition). çeker (aorist) states a general truth/habit: “Unusual photos (as a rule) attract attention.” A formal press-style alternative is çekmektedir.

How is çekiyor formed morphologically?

Present continuous is -(I)yor. Stem çek- + -iyor (front-vowel variant) → çekiyor. The four forms are -ıyor/-iyor/-uyor/-üyor depending on vowel harmony.

What does sergide express exactly?

It’s the locative case: sergi (exhibition) + -de → “at/in the exhibition.” The locative surfaces as -de/-da/-te/-ta based on vowel harmony and consonant voicing. Related cases:

sergiye (to the exhibition, dative)
sergiden (from the exhibition, ablative)

Can I say sergideki instead of sergide?

Yes, but it changes the structure. sergideki = “the one(s) at the exhibition” and must modify a noun:

Sergideki sıradışı fotoğraflar dikkat çekiyor. Your original uses sergide as an adverbial phrase: Sıradışı fotoğraflar sergide dikkat çekiyor. Both are natural, with a slight difference in emphasis.

Do I need an article like “the” or “an” before “exhibition”?

Turkish has no articles. sergide can mean “at the exhibition” or “at an exhibition” from context. To be explicit you can use demonstratives: bu sergide (at this exhibition), o sergide (at that exhibition).

Why is it fotoğraf-lar (not -ler) and how does vowel harmony work here?

Plural is -lar/-ler by vowel harmony. The last vowel in fotoğraf is back (a), so use -lar → fotoğraflar. Front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) take -ler; back vowels (a, ı, o, u) take -lar.

Could I omit the plural -lar on fotoğraflar?

Not here. As a subject, omitting -lar would usually be read as singular (sıradışı fotoğraf = “an unusual photo”). Plural dropping is common with indefinite objects after numerals/quantifiers, but this is the subject.

Can I move sergide elsewhere? What about word order and emphasis?

Yes, Turkish is flexible. Neutral is Subject–(Place/Time)–Verb:

Sıradışı fotoğraflar sergide dikkat çekiyor. (neutral)
Sergide sıradışı fotoğraflar dikkat çekiyor. (emphasizes the location) Avoid placing the adverbial after the verb: … dikkat çekiyor sergide sounds unnatural. Focus often sits right before the verb.

What’s the difference between dikkat çekici and dikkat çekiyor?

dikkat çekici: an adjective meaning “attention-grabbing/striking.” Example: Sıradışı fotoğraflar dikkat çekici.
dikkat çekiyor: a verb phrase “are attracting attention (now).” The first describes a quality; the second describes an action/effect in progress.

Are there natural synonyms for dikkat çekmek in this sentence?

Yes:

ilgi çekmek (to attract interest): … sergide ilgi çekiyor.
göze çarpmak (to stand out/catch the eye, intransitive): … sergide göze çarpıyor.

Any tips on pronouncing the tricky letters here?

ğ (in fotoğraflar) lengthens the preceding vowel; don’t pronounce a hard “g.”
ı (dotless i, in sıradışı) is a back, unrounded vowel (like a relaxed “uh”).
ş = “sh,” ç = “ch.”
Typical stress is near the end: sı-ra-DI-şı, fo-to-RAF-lar, ser-Gİ-de, dik-KAT, çe-Kİ-yor.

Is sıradışı one word or two?

You’ll see both sıradışı and sıra dışı in real usage. Both are understood; writing it as one word is very common today.

How would I turn the sentence into a yes–no question or make it negative?

Yes–no question: add the question clitic after the predicate: Sıradışı fotoğraflar sergide dikkat çekiyor mu?
Negative: Sıradışı fotoğraflar sergide dikkat çekmiyor.