# Ben bir hırsız değilim / ben hırsız değilim



## FlyingBird

Please anyone can tell me what is difference between those two?


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## ketcapov

I would say there isn't a difference. We haven't a rule like English in this issue(a,an)


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## peptidoglycan

In English it is obligatory to use articles like a, an, the. But in Turkish it is only a matter of preference or style. Your both sentences mean the same thing.


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## shafaq

Against general conclusion I will say there is difference between two:

Ben hırsız değilim=I am not the thief(perpetrator of this theft event). One is clearing him/herself of an accusation relevantly with a mentioned event.

Ben bir hırsız değilim=I am not a thief. (One is predefining him/herself irrelevantly of any event or accusation).


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## LunarLord

In these two sentences, i agree with shafaq's point.

However for most people,in turkish, it is hard to tell the difference between using or not using the article "a" in other situations.


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## ketcapov

shafaq said:


> Against general conclusion I will say there is difference between two:
> 
> Ben hırsız değilim=I am not the thief(perpetrator of this theft event). One is clearing him/herself of an accusation relevantly with a mentioned event.
> 
> Ben bir hırsız değilim=I am not a thief. (One is predefining him/herself irrelevantly of any event or accusation).



I disagree. I think when you learn english, You created a logic in your mind and you think: this is same with english. 

If you say, I m sure that.Have you a source about this grammer rule?


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## peptidoglycan

You can say in Turkish:
Ben öğrenciyim. Or
Ben bir öğrenciyim.
They mean the same. You don't need to say bir.
In English you must use the article "a" or "an". I am a student.
In German you must not use the article "ein". Ich bin Student.


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## Rallino

ketcapov said:


> I disagree. I think when you learn english, You created a logic in your mind and you think: this is same with english.
> 
> If you say, I m sure that.Have you a source about this grammer rule?



Just like LunarLord, I agree with shafaq. In the context that he gave, he's totally right. I don't think there is a rule on this: it's just a native feeling. It's got nothing to do with English.
_Ben hırsızım_ and _Ben bir hırsızım _can both be used, and in some contexts, one might sound better than the other.


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