Questions & Answers about Bu sayı çok büyük.
Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?
In Turkish, there is no separate word for "is" in the third-person present tense. You simply place the subject (Bu sayı) and the description (çok büyük) together. Sometimes the suffix -dir is added for formal emphasis (making it büyüktür), but in everyday speech, it is usually left off.
Why do we use sayı here instead of numara? Both mean "number".
They mean "number" but are used differently! Sayı refers to a mathematical value, a quantity, or a figure (like an even number or a large amount). Numara is used for labels, sequences, or identification, such as a phone number (telefon numarası) or shoe size. Since we are describing the mathematical size or value of a number here, sayı is the correct word.
If I wanted to say "These numbers are very big," would I need to make bu plural?
No, when bu comes right before a noun to say "this" or "these", it never changes form. You would just make the noun plural: Bu sayılar çok büyük. You only use the plural form bunlar when the noun is completely dropped, like if you pointed and said Bunlar çok büyük (These are very big).
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