Breakdown of Şu kadını tanımıyorum.
şu
that (pointed out)
kadın
woman
tanımak
to know (a person), to recognize
Questions & Answers about Şu kadını tanımıyorum.
Why is it kadını and not just kadın?
Kadın (woman) is the specific direct object of the verb tanımıyorum. Because we are talking about a specific woman, it answers the question Kimi? (Whom?). To show this, we add the accusative case ending -ı to kadın.
Why use tanımıyorum instead of bilmiyorum for 'I do not know'?
In Turkish, tanımak means 'to know' a person or to be acquainted with someone. Bilmek is used when you 'know' a fact, a language, or a piece of information. Since we are talking about a woman, we must use tanımak.
What is the difference between şu and o if they both mean 'that'?
While o usually refers to something far away or out of sight, şu is used when you are physically pointing someone out or directing the listener's attention to them. The speaker is likely looking directly at the woman when saying Şu kadını.
I learned the negative suffix is -me or -ma. Why is it -mı- in tanımıyorum?
The present continuous suffix -yor is very strong and changes the vowels that come right before it. The root is tanı and the negative suffix is -ma. Instead of saying tanı-ma-yor-um, the -yor narrows the a sound into an ı, making it tanımıyorum.
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