Questions & Answers about Bebekler güzel.
Why is the plural suffix -ler here instead of -lar?
In Turkish, suffixes change to match the vowels in the word they attach to. This is called 2-way vowel harmony. Because the last vowel in bebek (baby) is 'e' (a front vowel), the plural suffix takes the front vowel form -ler. If the word had a back vowel like 'a' or 'o', we would use -lar.
Why isn't the adjective plural too? Shouldn't it be güzeller?
In Turkish, adjectives do not take plural suffixes when they describe a noun. You only make the noun plural (bebekler). The adjective güzel (beautiful) stays in its basic form.
Where is the word for "are" in Bebekler güzel?
Turkish doesn't use a separate word for "is" or "are" in simple present tense sentences like this. Just placing the adjective güzel right after the subject Bebekler is enough to mean "The babies are beautiful."
How do we know it means "The babies" and not just "Babies"?
Turkish does not have a separate word for "the". A bare plural noun like bebekler can mean either "babies" in general or "the babies" depending on the context of the conversation.
Learn Bebekler güzel and more in Turkish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free