Breakdown of Sekreter de masasında yok, raporlu olmalı.
masa
table
yok
there is not / non-existent
olmak
to be
sekreter
secretary
Questions & Answers about Sekreter de masasında yok, raporlu olmalı.
Why does olmalı here mean "must be" (as a guess) rather than an obligation?
While the suffix -malı / -meli normally expresses obligation (like gitmeli, "must go"), attaching it to olmak (to be) after an adjective or noun changes its function. Here, it expresses logical deduction. Raporlu olmalı means "she must be on sick leave" (I strongly deduce she is), rather than "she has an obligation to be on sick leave."
Does raporlu literally mean "sick"?
Not exactly! It literally means "with a report" (rapor + -lu). In Turkish workplaces and schools, if you are absent due to illness, you get a doctor's note, which is called a rapor. So, saying someone is raporlu is the standard way to say they are "on sick leave" or "medically excused."
Can you break down the suffixes in masasında?
Sure! The root is masa (desk/table). First, we add the third-person possessive suffix -sı to make masası (her desk). Before adding the locative suffix -da (at/in/on) to a third-person possessive, Turkish requires the buffer letter -n-. Putting it all together: masa-sı-n-da means "at her desk."
Why is de written as a separate word here?