Breakdown of Biz de çay içiyoruz.
biz
we
çay
tea
içmek
to drink
de
too, also (de/da) / even if (concessive particle after conditional) / and (linking clauses)
Questions & Answers about Biz de çay içiyoruz.
How do we know içiyoruz means 'we' are drinking?
The verb root is iç (drink) and -iyor adds the continuous meaning. The personal suffix for 'we' (biz) is -uz. Because the tense suffix -iyor always ends with the vowel o, the 'we' suffix that follows it is always -uz.
Why is de written as a separate word instead of attached to biz?
When de (or da) means 'also' or 'too', it is a separate word. If it were attached as one word (bizde), it would be the locative case, meaning 'in us' or 'on us/at our place'.
Does the position of de change the meaning of the sentence?
Yes, it puts the focus on the word right before it. Biz de means 'We too' (someone else is having tea, and we are too). If you said Biz çay da içiyoruz, it would mean 'We are drinking tea too' (we are having coffee, and also tea).
Why doesn't çay have an ending, like çayı?
In Turkish, you only add the specific direct object suffix (the accusative case) if you are talking about a specific item, like 'the tea'. Because we are drinking 'tea' in general, it stays in its plain, dictionary form.
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