Questions & Answers about Öğrenciler kantinde.
Why does kantin take the suffix -de instead of -da or -te?
The locative suffix (meaning "in", "on", or "at") changes to match the word it attaches to. Because the last vowel in kantin is i (a front vowel), vowel harmony dictates we use an e. Also, because the word ends in n (a soft/voiced consonant), we use d instead of the hard t. Therefore, we use -de.
Where is the word for "are" in this sentence?
Turkish doesn't have a separate verb for "am", "is", or "are" in the present tense. Instead, you usually attach a personal suffix to the end of the sentence. However, for the third-person plural ("they"), the "are" suffix is often completely dropped when the subject (Öğrenciler) is already clearly stated. So, "are in the canteen" is simply expressed as kantinde.
Can kantinde mean "at the canteen" as well as "in the canteen"?
Yes! The locative suffix covers "in", "at", and "on". Depending on the context, kantinde translates to whichever English preposition makes the most sense. Here, "in the canteen" or "at the canteen" are both perfectly correct translations.
Why is the plural of student öğrenciler and not öğrencilar?
Turkish uses two plural suffixes: -lar and -ler. You choose based on the last vowel of the word (2-way vowel harmony). The last vowel in öğrenci is i, which is a front vowel. Front vowels always pair with -ler.
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