Breakdown of Bu rakip kolay değil. Kazanacak mıyız?
bu
this
değil
not
kolay
easy
kazanmak
to earn / to win
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
rakip
opponent
Questions & Answers about Bu rakip kolay değil. Kazanacak mıyız?
How do we build the future tense question Kazanacak mıyız?
In future tense questions, the personal suffix attaches to the question word, not the main verb! Here we have the verb root kazan- (to win) + the future suffix -acak. Then we add a separate question particle mı, a buffer -y-, and the "we" suffix -ız. Put together, it's Kazanacak mıyız? (Will we win?).
Why is the question particle mı instead of mi?
This is because of 4-way vowel harmony. The future suffix -acak has a as its last vowel. Therefore, the question particle takes the ı sound, becoming mı. The "we" suffix also follows this harmony, becoming -ız instead of -iz.
Why do we need the -y- in mıyız?
In Turkish, two vowels usually cannot sit right next to each other. When we attach the "we" suffix -ız to the question particle mı, we get two vowels side by side. The buffer consonant -y- steps in between them to make pronunciation smooth: mı-y-ız.
Why isn't there a word for "is" in Bu rakip kolay değil?
In Turkish, there is no direct equivalent for the present tense verb "is" or "are" as a separate word. For the third person singular (like "this opponent"), the "is" is simply implied and you don't even need a suffix. So, kolay değil (literally "easy not") translates perfectly to "is not easy".
Learn Bu rakip kolay değil. Kazanacak mıyız and more in Turkish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free