Breakdown of Öğrenci kağıdı makasla kesiyor.
öğrenci
student
kâğıt
paper
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
kesmek
to cut
Questions & Answers about Öğrenci kağıdı makasla kesiyor.
How does makasla mean 'with scissors'?
The base word is makas (scissors). To show the tool used to do an action (meaning 'by means of' or 'with'), we add the suffix -la or -le. This is the attached form of the postposition ile. Because the last vowel in makas is a hard vowel, we follow vowel harmony and add -la.
Why did the 't' in kağıt (paper) change to a 'd' in kağıdı?
When a specific object receives an action (like 'the paper' being cut), it takes the accusative case suffix, which is the vowel -ı here. When you add a vowel to a word ending in a hard consonant like t, that letter usually softens to a d. So, kağıt becomes kağıdı.
Can I change the word order and say Öğrenci makasla kağıdı kesiyor?
Yes, you can! Turkish word order is quite flexible as long as the verb (kesiyor) stays at the end. However, in Turkish, the word placed right before the verb gets the most emphasis. By putting makasla right before the verb, this sentence emphasizes that the student is using scissors (rather than their hands or a knife).