# "kaç elma" or "kaç elmalar"



## turkishlearner07

I am a bit confused about when to use the ler/lar suffix in a sentence.

For example: an apple is                      bir elma
"How many apples?" is          "Kaç elmalar?"

But if I wanted to say: How many apples did Ahmet want?

ıs it:  Ahmet kaç elma istedi?
                                        OR
                      is it:  Ahmet kaç elma-lar istedi?

I see this problem everywhere and I don't know what to think.


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## Chazzwozzer

If you use a numeral with a plural noun, -ler/-lar is dropped. This includes "kaç", "bazı", "biraz" etc.

Kaç elma? 
Kaç elmalar? 

Ahmet kaç elma istedi? 
Ahmet kaç elmalar istedi? 
Ahmet iki elma istedi. 
Ahmet iki elmalar istedi.


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## ~ceLine~

Hi,

Yes, as Chazzwozzer said; when you use those, you have to use the singluar choose.

More examples ..
Maybe you can need it ..

Bir elme
İki elma (I said "two apples", so I said that it's plural, I don't need to say again)

Elmalar (Just "apples" .. I didn't say that it's plural so I've to use "-ler/-lar"

Kitapları severim. ( I like books) 
Kitabı severim.


Birkaç kalem alacağım (I said "birkaç" - plural) 

Kalemler alacağım (I didn't said before that it's plural so I've to use "-ler/-lar") 

In fact, the first sentence sounds good but I wrote for show you the difference ..

Not amuzing, eh  .. ?


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## modus.irrealis

turkishlearner07 said:


> I am a bit confused about when to use the ler/lar suffix in a sentence.


You're not the only one  -- that's something I'm having trouble figuring out as well.



~ceLine~ said:


> Kitapları severim. ( I like books)


I would have thought that that meant "I like the books" because the accusative ending -ı is used only with definite things, and that for "I like books" you'd say something like "kitap severim" and just use the singular. I've seen examples like "elma satıyor" = "he is selling apples". Is that wrong?


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## Chazzwozzer

modus.irrealis said:


> I would have thought that that meant "I like the books" because the accusative ending -ı is used only with definite things, and that for "I like books" you'd say something like "kitap severim" and just use the singular. I've seen examples like "elma satıyor" = "he is selling apples". Is that wrong?


Exactly!


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## ~ceLine~

In fact there is different ways for saying that but each passing days it changed & now we say "elma satıyor", so you're right.

Nothing stays ok  ..

.. and the people use Turkish how they want generally :S ..

.. I won't explain for don't make you more confused ..

---> "Elma satıyor", "Armut satıyor", "Kayısı satıyor" .. All of them are right  ..


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## turkishlearner07

A very clear and concise explanation Chazzwozzer, thank you!



~ceLine~ said:


> Birkaç kalem alacağım (I said "birkaç" - plural)
> 
> Kalemler alacağım (I didn't said before that it's plural so I've to use "-ler/-lar")
> 
> In fact, the first sentence sounds good but I wrote for show you the difference ..
> 
> Not amuzing, eh  .. ?



That's where you are wrong  it's very "amuzing" hehe. 
I had to bust out the dictionary to understand some of those words 
Why does *birkaç* mean a few, some, or several? I thought *az* means a few, some, or several.
What does the sentence "birkaç kalem alacağım" mean? 
   is it: a few multicoloured pencils?

Cheers!


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## Chazzwozzer

turkishlearner07 said:


> Why does *birkaç* mean a few, some, or several? I thought *az* means a few, some, or several.
> What does the sentence "birkaç kalem alacağım" mean?
> is it: a few multicoloured pencils?



*Birkaç kalem alacağım.*
I'll buy *some/one or two/several* pencils.

*"az" *is only used in the negative sense.

*Az Türkçe biliyorum.*_
I know a bit of/a little Turkish._*Çok az zamanımız var.*
_We have very a short time. (=We don't have much time.)_


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## ~ceLine~

Chazzwozzer said:


> *"az" *is only used in the negative sense.
> 
> *Az Türkçe biliyorum.*


 
Oo I love this subject  ..


Az Türkçe biliyorum. (I know a little Turkish) / +

Çok Türkçe bilmiyorum. (I don't know Turkish much) / -


[By the way; "bir çok/bir kaç/biraz" --> when you don't know the quantity ..)

"Bir çok" & "bir kaç" .. In fact, we must write that but Turkish Language Institute changed it last year so you can see the both everywhere .. No problem so much  .. I wrote just because maybe you can see it somewhere ..


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## turkishlearner07

~ceLine~ said:


> In fact there is different ways for saying that but each passing days it changed & now we say "elma satıyor", so you're right.
> 
> Nothing stays ok  ..
> 
> .. and the people use Turkish how they want generally :S ..
> 
> .. I won't explain for don't make you more confused ..
> 
> ---> "Elma satıyor", "Armut satıyor", "Kayısı satıyor" .. All of them are right  ..



I just learned about the object definite 5 minutes ago and I just want to clarify: 

I understand "kayısı satıyor" to mean:  "He/she is selling the belt"
the belt being a direct object of the verb (English shows this by using the word "the")
Is that correct?

Also: bir çok/bir kaç/biraz are used when you don't know the quantity and 
    birçok/birkac are used when you want to express "one or two/some/several"

But in my English speaking eyes I see birkaç as a word that ın a sense answers ıts own questıon. What I mean is kaç lıterally means how many, and bir means "one."  So when you put them together --> How many?one

If this is true then WOW Turkish is such a rich and wonderful language !!


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## ~ceLine~

turkishlearner07 said:


> I understand "kayısı satıyor" to mean: "He/she is selling the belt"
> the belt being a direct object of the verb (English shows this by using the word "the")
> Is that correct?


 
"Kayısı satıyor" means "he/she is selling (or sometimes 'sells') apricots." 

.. or sametimes singular, just one apricot but generally [%99] apricots ..



turkishlearner07 said:


> Also: bir çok/bir kaç/biraz are used when you don't know the quantity and birçok/birkac are used when you want to express "one or two/some/several"




Yes .. That's true  ..!

[Look --> bir çok (birden çok) --> more than one  ..]
So, you use when you don't know the quantity (-> how many are there) exactely ..




turkishlearner07 said:


> But in my English speaking eyes I see birkaç as a word that ın a sense answers ıts own questıon. What I mean is kaç lıterally means how many, and bir means "one." So when you put them together --> How many?one


 
Yes, it can be in Turkish.  .. They put many words together = many many new words  ..

Never try to learn Turkish with this way ..

If not even this forum can't be enough  .. 
Forget English, it's another language ..!!





turkishlearner07 said:


> If this is true then WOW Turkish is such a rich and wonderful language =D!!


 
Yesss, it's  .. 


GOOD LUCK ..!!


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## turkishlearner07

O crap.. sorry I could of swore I saw kayış-ı ınstead of kayısı.

Sorry, haha but at least I learned a new word!



~ceLine~ said:


> Yes, it can be in Turkish.  .. They put many words together = many many new words  ..
> 
> Never try to learn Turkish with this way ..
> 
> If not even this forum can't be enough  ..
> Forget English, it's another language ..!!
> 
> 
> GOOD LUCK ..!!



Haha yea, nice advise.

When I do my little excerises and I have to translate I forget English. I tired to understand the sentence literally but ended up "chasing my tail," haha

Thank you!


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