Breakdown of Sınırı arabayla geçebilir miyiz?
araba
car
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
geçmek
to pass / to cross / to shift (into a gear)
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
sınır
border
Questions & Answers about Sınırı arabayla geçebilir miyiz?
How is geçebilir miyiz built to mean "can we cross?"
It starts with the verb root geç (to cross or pass). We add -ebil (the suffix for ability or possibility) and -ir (the simple present tense marker). Then we use the separate question particle mi, a buffer letter -y-, and the "we" personal ending -iz. Broken down: geç-ebil-ir mi-y-iz.
Why is it sınırı and not just sınır?
Sınır means "border". The -ı is the accusative case suffix, which is used to mark a specific direct object. Because you are talking about crossing the border (a specific, known border), it needs this ending.
How does arabayla mean "with a car" or "by car"?
It is made of the noun araba (car) and the suffix -la, which means "with" or "by means of" (a shortened form of the word ile). Because araba ends in a vowel, we must add the buffer letter -y- before the suffix, resulting in arabayla.
Could we change the word order and ask Arabayla sınırı geçebilir miyiz?
Yes, you can! Turkish word order is flexible, but the word immediately before the verb usually receives the most emphasis. In this sentence, putting arabayla right before the verb emphasizes how you are crossing (by car, as opposed to on foot or by bus).
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