Questions & Answers about Lütfen şu kediye bak.
Why does this sentence use the dative case (kediye) instead of just kedi?
In English, we say 'look at'. In Turkish, the verb bakmak (to look) requires the dative case, which implies direction ('to' or 'towards'). You are essentially saying 'look towards the cat.' That's why we add the dative suffix to kedi.
Where does the y come from in kediye?
The dative suffix is either -a or -e depending on vowel harmony. Kedi ends with a front vowel (i), so it takes -e. Because Turkish doesn't allow two vowels right next to each other here, we insert the buffer letter -y- to connect them smoothly, making it kedi-y-e.
The translation says 'that cat'. Why use şu instead of o?
While both o and şu can translate to 'that', they have a subtle difference. O is generally used for things that are far away. Şu is specifically used when pointing something out to draw someone's attention to it. Since you are asking someone to look at a specific cat they might not have noticed yet, şu is the perfect fit.
Why is the verb just bak without any ending?
Bak is the base root of the verb bakmak (to look). When you use a verb root completely by itself in Turkish, it acts as a direct command (the imperative form) directed at a single person. It is the exact equivalent of telling someone 'Look!'
Learn Lütfen şu kediye bak 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