Questions & Answers about Otelde elli kişi var.
Why is it kişi (person) and not plural for "people" after elli (fifty)?
In Turkish, you never make a noun plural when it comes after a number or a quantity word. Because you already said elli (fifty), adding the plural ending -ler is unnecessary. Always use the singular form: elli kişi (fifty people).
How would I ask "How many people are in the hotel?" using the question word kaç?
You would simply replace the number elli (fifty) with the question word kaç (how many). The question becomes Otelde kaç kişi var?. Notice that just like with numbers, the noun kişi stays singular after kaç!
Why is var at the very end of the sentence?
In Turkish, verbs and "existence" words like var (there is / there are) or yok (there isn't / there aren't) go at the end of the sentence. The standard order is to state the location first (otelde), then the thing you are counting (elli kişi), and finally var.
What does the -de suffix in otelde mean?
The -de ending (or -da, depending on vowel harmony) is the locative case, which tells us where something is. It translates to "in," "on," or "at." Attaching it to otel (hotel) turns it into otelde (in the hotel).
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