Doktora telefon etmek iyi.

Breakdown of Doktora telefon etmek iyi.

doktor
doctor
iyi
good
telefon etmek
to phone

Questions & Answers about Doktora telefon etmek iyi.

Why does the sentence use doktora instead of just doktor?
In English, we say "call the doctor," but in Turkish, the verb phrase telefon etmek (to phone/call) takes the dative case, which indicates direction. The -a suffix added to doktor makes it literally mean "to make a telephone to the doctor."
How does the ending on doktora compare to the location endings we use with nerede (where)?
When answering nerede (where / at what place), you use the locative suffixes -da or -de. However, the -a on doktora is the dative suffix, which shows direction ("to"). You use this directional ending because you are directing a call to the doctor, rather than talking about being located at the doctor's office (doktorda).
Why is the verb etmek in its dictionary form instead of being conjugated?
When you want to talk about an action as a concept or subject—like "phoning" or "to phone" in English—you leave the Turkish verb in its dictionary form (ending in -mak or -mek). Here, the whole phrase telefon etmek acts as a noun so you can describe it as being good.
Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?
Turkish doesn't have a separate word for "is" in simple descriptive sentences like this. By placing the adjective iyi (good) right after the subject, it naturally translates to "is good."

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