Questions & Answers about Şu yeni gömleğe bakıyorum.
Why is the word for shirt spelled gömleğe here, with a ğ instead of a k?
The dictionary form of the word is gömlek. In this lesson, we are learning about consonant mutation. When you add a suffix starting with a vowel, like the direction suffix -e in this sentence, the hard k at the end of the word softens into a ğ. This makes the word flow better when speaking!
Why does the shirt have the -e suffix? The English translation says looking at, not looking to.
In Turkish, the verb bakmak (to look) always requires the dative case, which shows direction (to or towards). Turkish speakers think of it as directing your eyes towards an object. So, you don't look at a shirt, you look to the shirt (gömleğe).
Could I use o instead of şu to say that new shirt?
Yes, you could say o yeni gömlek, but şu adds a slightly different flavor. While o is a general word for that, şu is used when you are actively pointing something out or drawing physical attention to it in the moment. Since the speaker is looking right at the shirt, şu (meaning that one right there) feels very natural.
Why is the connecting vowel in bakıyorum an ı instead of an i?