Questions & Answers about Hâlâ hasta mısın?
This lesson is about the duration suffix '-DIr'. Why isn't it used here?
The time duration suffix -dır is used when you state a specific length of time, like 'for three days' (üç gündür). Because hâlâ ('still') indicates an ongoing state rather than a measured duration, -dır is not used in this sentence.
Why does 'hâlâ' have little hats (circumflexes) on the letters?
The circumflex lengthens the vowel sound and changes the word's meaning. Hâlâ means 'still', while hala (without the hats) means 'paternal aunt'. The hats ensure you are asking if they are still sick, not if they are a sick aunt!
Why is 'mısın' written as a separate word instead of attaching to 'hasta'?
Question particles (mı, mi, mu, mü) are always written with a space before them in Turkish. However, the personal suffix for 'you' (-sın) attaches directly to the question particle, creating the separate word mısın.
How do we know to use 'mısın' instead of 'misin'?
The question particle follows 4-way vowel harmony based on the preceding word. The last vowel in hasta is 'a'. In 4-way harmony, words ending in 'a' or 'ı' require the following suffix to use 'ı'.
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