Questions & Answers about Bu kuşun kanatları çok büyük olabilir.
How does olabilir mean "might be" instead of "can be" or "is able to be"?
The combination of the possibility suffix -abil and the aorist tense ending -ir is used for both ability ("can") and probability ("might" or "may"). When used with the verb olmak (to be) to describe a physical state or quality, it almost always expresses probability: "might be". Context tells us we are guessing about the bird's wings, not talking about their "ability" to be big.
Why do we need the -un on kuşun here?
We are talking about the wings of a specific bird, so we use a definite genitive-possessive phrase: bu kuşun (this bird's) + kanatları (wings). If we dropped the -un and said kuş kanatları, it would become a general noun compound meaning "bird wings" (as a category), which wouldn't make sense with the word bu (this) pointing to a specific animal.
Since the wings are plural (kanatları), shouldn't the verb be plural too (olabilirler)?
In Turkish, when the subject is plural but non-human (like animals, objects, or body parts), the verb usually remains in the singular form. Since kanatları (wings) is non-human, the verb olabilir doesn't need the plural suffix -ler.
Would it mean the same thing if I said "Bu kuşun çok büyük kanatları olabilir"?
It is grammatically correct but the meaning changes slightly. By moving the words around, çok büyük kanatları becomes a single phrase ("very big wings"). Coupled with bu kuşun (this bird's) and the verb olmak (to be/to have), it translates to "This bird might have very big wings." The original sentence translates directly to "This bird's wings might be very big."
Learn Bu kuşun kanatları çok büyük olabilir and more in Turkish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free