Questions & Answers about Beş çocuk mutlu, altı çocuk üzgün.
Why is it beş çocuk instead of beş çocuklar?
In Turkish, when you use a number before a noun to state a quantity, the noun always stays in its singular form. You say beş çocuk (literally "five child") and never use the plural suffix -lar or -ler after a number.
Where is the verb for "are" in this sentence?
In simple descriptive sentences, Turkish often leaves out the "to be" verb (like "is" or "are"). Just placing the subject (beş çocuk) before the adjective (mutlu) is perfectly fine to mean "Five children are happy."
Could I say mutlu beş çocuk instead of beş çocuk mutlu?
That would change the meaning. Mutlu beş çocuk means "five happy children" (a noun phrase). By putting the adjective after the noun (beş çocuk mutlu), it acts as the main description of the sentence, meaning "Five children are happy."
Since there are multiple children, do the adjectives mutlu and üzgün need any special plural endings?
No, adjectives in Turkish never change to match the quantity of the noun they describe. Mutlu (happy) and üzgün (sad) stay exactly the same whether you are talking about one child or a hundred children.
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