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Questions & Answers about Çocuk hasta oldu, çok yaşa dedim.
How does hasta oldu mean 'got sick' instead of 'was sick'?
The verb olmak often means 'to become' or 'to happen'. When you put it after an adjective like hasta (sick), it means 'to become sick' or 'to get sick'. To simply say the child 'was' sick, you would attach the past tense directly to the adjective instead: hastaydı.
What is the literal translation of çok yaşa?
It literally translates to 'live a lot' or 'live long'. Çok means 'much', and yaşa is the command form of yaşamak (to live). Turkish speakers use this phrase exactly how English speakers say 'bless you' after someone sneezes.
Why are there no quotation marks around çok yaşa?
In Turkish, you don't always need quotation marks for direct speech. It is very common to just write the exact words spoken and follow them immediately with a form of the verb demek (to say). The verb itself lets the reader know it is a direct quote.
Why do we use dedim here instead of söyledim for 'I said'?
The verb demek (which becomes dedim here) is used specifically for direct quotes. Because you are repeating the exact phrase you spoke out loud, you must use demek. You use söylemek when you are reporting what was said without giving a direct word-for-word quote.