Breakdown of Öğrenci kâğıdı makasla kesiyor.
öğrenci
student
kâğıt
paper
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
kesmek
to cut
Questions & Answers about Öğrenci kâğıdı makasla kesiyor.
How does makasla mean 'with scissors'?
The word makas means 'scissors'. To say 'with', we add the suffix -la, which is the shortened, attached form of the postposition ile. We use -la instead of -le because the last vowel in makas is 'a', so it follows A-type vowel harmony.
Why is the word for paper spelled kâğıdı here instead of kâğıt?
The dictionary word is kâğıt (paper). Because it is the specific direct object of the action (the student is cutting the paper), it takes the accusative case suffix -ı. When adding a vowel suffix to a word ending in 't', the 't' often softens to a 'd' to make it easier to say. So, kâğıt becomes kâğıdı.
Why does the verb kesiyor have an 'i' in the middle?
The verb root is kes- (to cut). The present continuous suffix is -yor (similar to the English '-ing'). Because kes- ends in a consonant, it needs a connecting helper vowel before adding -yor. Since the vowel in kes- is 'e', 4-way vowel harmony dictates that we use 'i', resulting in kesiyor.
Why is makasla placed right before the verb?
Turkish usually follows a Subject-Object-Verb order, meaning the verb (kesiyor) goes at the very end. The tool or method used to do the action (makasla) is typically placed immediately before the verb to describe exactly how the action is happening.