Breakdown of Günde iki kere diş fırçalıyorum.
iki
two
gün
day
diş
tooth
fırçalamak
to brush
kere
time, occasion (= kez; bir kere)
Questions & Answers about Günde iki kere diş fırçalıyorum.
Since this lesson is about the distributive suffix, why don't we use ikişer instead of iki here?
The distributive suffix -(ş)er means 'each' or 'apiece'. If you said ikişer kere, it would mean 'two times each' (for example, if you were telling multiple people how often they each need to brush). Because you are just stating your own total frequency, you use the plain number iki.
Why does gün (day) take the locative suffix -de in this sentence?
Turkish uses the locative case (-de / -da) for expressions of frequency to mean 'per' or 'a'. So günde iki kere literally means 'in the day two times' or 'twice a day'. You will also see this same pattern in phrases like haftada bir (once a week) or ayda üç kez (three times a month).
The English translation says 'my teeth', but the Turkish just says diş (tooth). Why isn't it plural or possessive?
For general habits and routines, Turkish often groups the bare singular noun with the verb, almost like a single concept: 'tooth-brushing'. While you can absolutely say dişlerimi fırçalıyorum (I am brushing my specific teeth), just saying diş fırçalıyorum is the most natural way to express the general daily habit.
What is the root of the verb fırçalıyorum and why does it look a bit different here?
The root is fırçala- (to brush), which comes from the noun fırça (brush). When you add the present continuous suffix -ıyor, the final 'a' of the root narrows to 'ı' due to vowel harmony. That is why fırçala + ıyor becomes fırçalıyor.
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