Questions & Answers about Filler suyu çok seviyor.
Filler (elephants) is plural. Why doesn't the verb have the plural ending -lar (seviyorlar)?
In Turkish, when a plural subject is not human (like animals, plants, or objects), the verb typically stays in the singular form. Since elephants are animals, it is grammatically correct to use seviyor instead of seviyorlar.
Why is it suyu and not just su if they love water in general?
The verb sevmek (to love/like) always requires its direct object to be in the accusative case. Even when talking about liking a general category (like water), Turkish treats it as a specific object of that verb. With the buffer letter y, su becomes suyu.
Could I change the word order and say Filler çok suyu seviyor?
That would change the meaning. In Turkish, words generally modify what comes immediately after them. Placing çok (a lot) right before seviyor means they love it a lot. If you put çok before suyu, it would mean they love 'a lot of water' instead.
Why use the continuous tense -iyor (seviyor) for a general fact instead of the simple present tense?
While English strictly uses the simple present for facts ('elephants love'), Turkish frequently uses the present continuous (-iyor) for current feelings, states of mind, and general habits. Saying seviyor instead of the simple present/aorist tense (sever) is extremely common and natural in everyday Turkish.
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