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Questions & Answers about Onlar mühendisler.
Why does mühendis take the -ler suffix instead of -lar?
This is because of Turkish vowel harmony. The last vowel in mühendis is 'i'. Since 'i' is a front vowel, the suffix must also use a front vowel, which makes it -ler. If the word ended in a back vowel (like a, ı, o, u), it would take -lar.
Is the -ler suffix on mühendisler acting as the plural marker or the 'to be' verb here?
It actually does both at the same time! In Turkish, the third-person plural 'to be' suffix is exactly the same as the regular plural suffix (-lar or -ler). So mühendisler translates to both 'engineers' and 'they are engineers' depending on the sentence.
Do I have to use -ler if I already started the sentence with Onlar (They)?
No, you don't! Because Onlar already shows that the subject is plural, it's very common to drop the plural suffix on the noun. You will often hear native speakers simply say Onlar mühendis. Both are perfectly correct.
Could I drop the word Onlar completely and just say Mühendisler?
Yes. Turkish often drops pronouns because the ending of the word gives you the necessary clues. If you just say Mühendisler, it can mean 'They are engineers' (or just 'Engineers' depending on the context of the conversation).