Adjective softening (-ce / -ça)

In English, when we want to approximate a description, we often add "-ish" to a word (like "largish") or use words like "rather" or "quite." In Turkish, you achieve this exact nuance by adding the suffix -cE to an adjective.

As you set up your aquarium, you can use this suffix to describe your aquatic life and decorations as being on the larger, smaller, or thicker side.

The Suffixes: -ce and -ca

Following 2-way vowel harmony, you will add -ce to adjectives whose last vowel is front (e, i, ö, ü) and -ca to adjectives whose last vowel is back (a, ı, o, u).

We bought a rather deep aquarium.
Derince bir akvaryum aldık.
We put rather thick sand and gravel at the bottom.
Dibe kalınca kum ve çakıl koyduk.

Consonant Mutation: -çe and -ça

If the adjective ends in one of the unvoiced consonants (f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p), the c in the suffix hardens into a ç. This means you will use -çe or -ça instead.

The aquarium that we bought is quite large.
Aldığımız akvaryum büyükçe.
The algae moves with a rather light current.
Yosun hafifçe bir akıntı ile hareket ediyor.

Word Order with "Bir"

When you use a softened adjective to describe a general, indefinite noun (like saying "a rather wide coral"), the word bir (a/an) typically sits exactly between the adjective and the noun. The formula is: Adjective + -cE + bir + Noun.

There is a quite wide coral where the current starts.
Akıntının başladığı yerde genişçe bir mercan var.
A rather expensive heater is needed for this aquarium.
Bu akvaryum için pahalıca bir ısıtıcı lazım.