Questions & Answers about Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor.
What does each word in Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor mean?
Word by word:
- Bu = this
- fikir = idea
- bana = to me
- mantıklı = logical, reasonable, sensible
- geliyor = literally is coming, but here it means seems or feels
So the whole sentence is literally something like:
- This idea comes logical to me
But in natural English, it means:
- This idea seems logical to me
- This idea sounds reasonable to me
Why is it bana and not ben?
Because Turkish uses the dative case here.
- ben = I
- bana = to me
The expression birine ... gelmek often means to seem ... to someone.
So:
- bana mantıklı geliyor = it seems logical to me
You cannot use ben here, because ben is the subject form, and this sentence needs to me, not I.
Why does ben become bana? Why not something more regular?
This is one of the irregular forms of Turkish personal pronouns.
Some important ones are:
- ben → bana = to me
- sen → sana = to you
- o → ona = to him/her/it
- biz → bize = to us
- siz → size = to you
- onlar → onlara = to them
So bana is just the correct dative form of ben. It is very common, and it is best to memorize it as a fixed form.
Why is geliyor used here if gelmek usually means to come?
Great question. In Turkish, gelmek does not only mean physical movement.
In some expressions, it can mean:
- to seem
- to feel
- to strike someone as
So:
- mantıklı geliyor = seems logical
- garip geliyor = seems strange
- iyi geliyor = feels good / does good
- zor geliyor = feels difficult
In this sentence, geliyor is not about something literally coming. It is part of a very common pattern:
- X bana Y geliyor = X seems Y to me
Why is it geliyor instead of a simple present form?
Turkish often uses the -iyor form where English would use a simple present.
So although geliyor literally looks like is coming, here it works very naturally as:
- seems
- feels
This is just the normal way to say it in Turkish.
So:
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor = This idea seems logical to me
Even though English uses seems, Turkish prefers the -iyor form here.
What does mantıklı mean exactly?
Mantıklı means:
- logical
- reasonable
- sensible
It comes from:
- mantık = logic
- -lı = a suffix meaning with, having, or characterized by
So mantıklı literally means something like:
- with logic
- logical
You can use it for ideas, plans, explanations, decisions, and so on.
Examples:
Can I say Bu fikir mantıklı instead?
Yes, you can.
- Bu fikir mantıklı = This idea is logical / reasonable
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor = This idea seems logical to me
The difference is small but important:
- Bu fikir mantıklı sounds more direct, like a statement of fact.
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor sounds more personal and subjective: in my opinion, to me, it seems logical.
So if you want to soften your statement or show that it is your impression, bana ... geliyor is very natural.
Is the word order fixed in Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor?
No, Turkish word order is flexible.
The neutral order here is:
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor
But you could also say:
- Bana bu fikir mantıklı geliyor
- Bu fikir mantıklı geliyor bana
This is possible in speech, though less neutral.
The meaning stays basically the same, but the emphasis changes.
For example:
- Bana bu fikir mantıklı geliyor emphasizes to me
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor is the most balanced, natural version
What is the subject of the sentence?
The subject is Bu fikir = this idea.
So the sentence structure is roughly:
- Bu fikir = subject
- bana = to me
- mantıklı = logical
- geliyor = seems
In other words:
- This idea seems logical to me
Can the pronoun bana be left out?
Yes, if the meaning is clear or if you do not want to say to me explicitly.
For example:
- Bu fikir mantıklı geliyor = This idea seems logical
This is still natural.
But when you say:
- Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor
you make it clear that this is your personal impression.
Is this sentence formal or informal?
It is neutral and very natural in both speech and writing.
It is not slang, and it is not especially formal either. You can use it in:
- everyday conversation
- work discussions
- class
- writing
- polite disagreement
For example, it is a useful phrase when giving an opinion without sounding too strong.
How is geliyor pronounced, especially the ğ?
Geliyor is pronounced roughly like:
- ge-li-yor
The ğ in Turkish usually does not sound like a strong consonant. In geliyor, it mainly softens or lengthens the sound a little rather than being clearly pronounced like an English g.
So learners often hear it almost like:
- geliyor
- or very slightly stretched between vowels
The important thing is not to pronounce it as a hard English g.
Could I translate this as This idea makes sense to me?
Yes, in many contexts that is a very good natural translation.
Depending on context, Bu fikir bana mantıklı geliyor can mean:
- This idea seems logical to me
- This idea sounds reasonable to me
- This idea makes sense to me
The exact English choice depends on tone and context, but all three can work.
What other adjectives can be used with bana ... geliyor?
Many adjectives work in this pattern. For example:
- Bu fikir bana ilginç geliyor = This idea seems interesting to me
- Bu fikir bana garip geliyor = This idea seems strange to me
- Bu fikir bana doğru geliyor = This idea seems right to me
- Bu fikir bana saçma geliyor = This idea seems absurd / silly to me
- Bu fikir bana zor geliyor = This idea seems difficult to me
So the pattern is very useful:
- X bana Y geliyor = X seems Y to me
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