Breakdown of Sıcaklık düşüyor mu, yoksa fırtına mı başlıyor?
başlamak
to begin, to start
düşmek
to fall
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
fırtına
storm
yoksa
otherwise / or else
sıcaklık
temperature
Questions & Answers about Sıcaklık düşüyor mu, yoksa fırtına mı başlıyor?
Why do we use yoksa here instead of veya or ya da for 'or'?
In Turkish, yoksa is the natural word to use for 'or' when asking alternative questions ('Is it A, or is it B?'). Words like veya and ya da are generally used for 'or' in statements (e.g., 'I will drink tea or coffee'). When presenting two conflicting possibilities in a question, yoksa (which literally translates closer to 'or else' or 'if not') is the correct choice.
Notice the placement of the question particles: düşüyor mu but fırtına mı. Why aren't they both at the end of their clauses?
The question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü) is placed immediately after the specific word you want to question or emphasize. The first half questions the action: is the temperature dropping (düşüyor mu)? The second half places the particle after fırtına for contrast: is it a storm that is starting (fırtına mı başlıyor)? While fırtına başlıyor mu? is also grammatically correct, placing the particle after fırtına heightens the contrast between the two alternative weather events.
Could I say hava düşüyor mu instead of sıcaklık düşüyor mu?
No, because just like in English, the weather (hava) doesn't 'drop' or 'fall'. You must use sıcaklık (temperature) or derece (degree) with the verb düşmek (to fall/drop). If you want to use the word hava, you need to change the verb and say hava soğuyor mu? (Is the weather getting cold?).
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