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Questions & Answers about Arkadaşım tutumlu.
Why is there no word for "is" in Arkadaşım tutumlu?
Turkish uses nominal sentences without a verb for third person in the simple present. The predicate comes last: Arkadaşım tutumlu literally “My friend thrifty.” You can add the formal/assertive copular suffix -dır/dir/dur/dür to the predicate if you want: Arkadaşım tutumludur.
What does the suffix -ım in arkadaşım mean?
It’s the 1st‑person singular possessive suffix, so arkadaşım = arkadaş (friend) + -ım (my) → “my friend.” It follows vowel harmony: -ım/-im/-um/-üm. In this sentence it’s possessive, not a “to be” ending. To say “I am your friend,” you’d say: Ben senin arkadaşınım.
Does arkadaşım mean “my friend” or “a friend of mine”?
Without bir, it means a specific “my friend.” With bir, it means “one of my friends”: Bir arkadaşım tutumlu = “One of my friends is thrifty.”
Can I say Tutumlu arkadaşım instead? Does it mean the same thing?
No. Tutumlu arkadaşım is a noun phrase (“my thrifty friend”), not a sentence. Arkadaşım tutumlu is a full sentence (“My friend is thrifty”).
How do I negate it?
Use değil after the predicate: Arkadaşım tutumlu değil. For stronger negation, add an intensifier: Hiç tutumlu değil / Pek tutumlu değil.
How do I make it a yes/no question?
Attach the question particle to the predicate: Arkadaşım tutumlu mu? The particle follows vowel harmony (mi/mı/mu/mü) and is written separately.
How do I ask “Which friend is thrifty?”
- Hangi arkadaşım tutumlu? (Which of my friends is thrifty?)
- Arkadaşlarımdan hangisi tutumlu? (Which one of my friends is thrifty?)
How do I put it in the past or future?
- Past: Arkadaşım tutumluydu. (He/She was thrifty.) Negative: tutumlu değildi.
- Future: Arkadaşım tutumlu olacak. (He/She will be thrifty.)
- Reported/inferential: Arkadaşım tutumluymuş. For a temporary/behavioral sense, use a verb: Bugün tutumlu davranıyor.
How do I say “My friends are thrifty”?
Arkadaşlarım tutumlu. Adjectives don’t normally agree in number. With human plurals, colloquial Turkish sometimes pluralizes the predicate: Arkadaşlarım tutumlular. A formal option is Arkadaşlarım tutumludur.
Do I need to add benim before arkadaşım?
Not required. Benim arkadaşım tutumlu adds emphasis/contrast (“My friend is thrifty [as opposed to someone else’s]”) or clarifies possession in context.
What’s the nuance of tutumlu compared with cimri, tasarruflu, and ekonomik?
- tutumlu: thrifty/frugal (positive, for people).
- tasarruflu: close to tutumlu; “economical,” “saving.”
- cimri: stingy/cheap (negative).
- ekonomik: economical/low-cost for things/choices, not people. Example: Bu model çok ekonomik. Ali tutumlu ama cimri değil.
Pronunciation tips for Arkadaşım tutumlu?
- ş = “sh.”
- ı (dotless i) = back, unrounded vowel (like the second vowel in “roses,” but further back).
- Main sentence stress falls on the predicate: tutumlu.
How do I say “My friend is very/quite/rather thrifty”?
Put the adverb before the adjective:
- Arkadaşım çok tutumlu. (very)
- Arkadaşım oldukça/epey tutumlu. (quite/rather)
How do I say “My friend is thrifty too/as well”?
Use de/da:
- Arkadaşım da tutumlu. = “My friend is thrifty too.” (adds “also” to the subject)
- Arkadaşım tutumlu da. can mean “He/She is thrifty too (among other things),” but is less common and context‑dependent.
Can I add -dır to the predicate here?
Yes: Arkadaşım tutumludur. -dır/dir/dur/dür makes it more formal, generic, or assertive (“as a known fact”). In everyday speech it’s usually omitted.
How can I say “My friend is a thrifty person”?
Use a light noun:
- Arkadaşım tutumlu biri.
- Arkadaşım tutumlu bir insan.
Does arkadaşım indicate gender?
No. Turkish has no grammatical gender. To specify, you can say:
- erkek arkadaşım (male friend/boyfriend, depending on context)
- kız arkadaşım (female friend/girlfriend) Context determines whether it’s romantic. For clarity, you can also say kadın arkadaşım / erkek arkadaşım.