Questions & Answers about Bir milyon büyük bir sayı.
Why is "bir" used before "milyon" but after "büyük"?
The first bir acts as the number "one" (one million). The second bir acts as the indefinite article "a" or "an". In Turkish, when you have an adjective and a noun with "a" or "an", the word order is always Adjective + bir + Noun. So "a big number" translates to büyük bir sayı.
Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?
In Turkish, present tense "to be" sentences often don't need a verb or suffix for "is" in the third person (he, she, or it). You could add the suffix -dır to the end to make sayıdır, which sounds like a formal mathematical statement, but leaving it off is completely natural and common.
Could I use "numara" instead of "sayı" here?
No, they are used differently. Sayı refers to quantities, amounts, and mathematical numbers, which fits "a million" perfectly. Numara is used for identification or labels, such as a phone number (telefon numarası), a shoe size, or a flight number.
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