Learn Turkish: Pastadan başka üç tane ikram süslüyordu. - She was decorating three treats besides the cake.

The word başka by itself means 'other' or 'different.' But when you pair it with a noun in the ablative case (-DAn, meaning 'from'), the phrase -DAn başka means 'besides,' 'other than,' or 'apart from.' So, pastadan başka means 'besides the cake.'

Could pastadan başka also mean 'except the cake'?

Yes! Depending on the context, -DAn başka can express either addition ('besides' or 'in addition to') or exception ('except' or 'other than'). Since she is decorating three more treats here, it means 'besides,' but if the sentence were 'There was nothing on the table except the cake,' the Turkish grammar used would be exactly the same.

Why is the word tane used after üç?

Tane is a counter word that translates roughly to 'item' or 'piece.' While you can often just say üç ikram (three treats), Turkish speakers frequently add tane after numbers to sound more natural when counting physical objects.

What is the root of the verb süslüyordu?