Breakdown of Bu harf büyük, şu harf küçük.
bu
this
şu
that (pointed out)
büyük
big
küçük
small
harf
letter (of the alphabet)
Questions & Answers about Bu harf büyük, şu harf küçük.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
In Turkish, the present tense 'to be' (am/is/are) is often understood from the context, especially with third-person subjects like 'this' or 'that'. So Bu harf büyük literally means 'This letter big', but translates to 'This letter is big'. You do not need to add a verb here.
What is the difference between şu and o for 'that'?
Both şu and o translate to 'that'. Bu is for something close ('this'). Şu is used for something a little further away but still visible, or when you are pointing at something to draw attention to it. O is for something even further away, or something out of sight. Here, the speaker is likely pointing at two specific letters they can see on a page.
Does harf mean a letter you send in the mail?
No, harf specifically means a letter of the alphabet (like A, B, or C). If you want to talk about a letter you write and send to someone, you would use the word mektup.
Can büyük and küçük also mean uppercase and lowercase?
Yes! When talking about an alphabet letter (harf), büyük means 'uppercase' or 'capital', and küçük means 'lowercase'. So this sentence is exactly how a Turkish speaker would say 'This letter is uppercase, that letter is lowercase.'
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