Breakdown of Otuz tane büyük yapraklı papatya alalım mı?
büyük
big
otuz
thirty
tane
piece / item
almak
to take, to buy
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
yaprak
leaf
papatya
daisy
Questions & Answers about Otuz tane büyük yapraklı papatya alalım mı?
How does the -lı suffix work in büyük yapraklı?
The suffix -lı (which adapts via 4-way vowel harmony as -lı, -li, -lu, or -lü) means 'with' or 'characterized by'. It turns the noun yaprak (leaf) into the adjective yapraklı (leaved). Together with büyük, it creates the descriptive phrase büyük yapraklı (large-leaved).
Why is papatya singular if we are talking about thirty daisies?
In Turkish, nouns always stay in their singular form when they are preceded by a specific number. Since the plural quantity is already established by otuz (thirty), adding the plural suffix -lar to papatya is grammatically incorrect.
Do I have to include tane when counting things like this?
No, it is optional. You could drop it and say Otuz büyük yapraklı papatya, which is entirely correct. However, using tane (which translates roughly to 'item' or 'piece') is extremely common and natural in spoken Turkish when counting distinct physical objects.
What gives alalım mı the meaning of 'shall we buy' instead of 'are we buying'?
The suffix -alım on the verb root al- (to buy or take) is the first-person plural suggestion form, meaning 'let's buy'. When you turn a 'let's' statement into a question by adding the question particle mı, it becomes an offer or a polite proposal: 'Shall we buy?'
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