When you want to refer to an unspecified number of things or a vague group of people, Turkish uses the determiner birtakım.
The Determiner birtakım
The word birtakım translates to "a number of" or "certain" (as in "certain people" or "certain things"). It is written as a single word to distinguish it from the literal phrase bir takım (one team / one set).
Crucially, unlike many other Turkish quantifiers (such as birkaç, which takes a singular noun), the noun following birtakım must always take the plural suffix (-lar / -ler).
| The police received a number of anonymous tip-offs. | Polis, birtakım isimsiz ihbarlar aldı. |
| Because he wants to cover up a number of dangerous secrets. | Çünkü birtakım tehlikeli sırları örtbas etmek istiyor. |
Discussing Rumors and Hearsay
Because birtakım is intentionally vague about exact numbers or identities, it is the perfect word for discussing unverified information, rumors, and conspiracy theories.
When talking about these mysteries and rumors, you will often see birtakım paired with the evidential suffix (like -mış or -muş) to report what you have heard without verifying it as fact.
| Supposedly, a number of mysterious events are occurring in the town. | Kasabada birtakım esrarengiz olaylar meydana geliyormuş. |
| Why is he supposedly making up a number of unfounded claims? | Niçin birtakım asılsız iddialar uyduruyormuş? |
| Supposedly, a number of people are hatching a secret conspiracy in this uncanny forest. | Birtakım insanlar bu tekinsiz ormanda gizli bir komplo kuruyormuş. |
Expressing Suspicion
By leaving the exact identity or quantity out, birtakım naturally builds a sense of mystery or suspicion around "certain" politicians, lies, or coincidences.
| A number of politicians are making up these unfounded claims; otherwise, the public will see the truth. | Birtakım siyasetçiler bu asılsız iddiaları uyduruyor, yoksa halk gerçekleri görecek. |
| They keep making up a number of lies about that eerie man. | O tekinsiz adam hakkında birtakım yalanlar uydurup duruyorlar. |