Cevap: answer, reply and noun forms

The idea

In cevap, the final p becomes b before a vowel-initial suffix: cevabı, cevaba, cevabım. It stays in cevapta, cevaptan and cevaplar. The last vowel is a, so the forms use back vowels. Compare cevabı okuyorum (I am reading the answer) with onun cevabı (his or her answer): context distinguishes the accusative from possession. Adding a case to the latter gives onun cevabını okuyorum. The table’s last row names the possessor explicitly to distinguish one shared answer from several answers.

Examples

• Cevabı deftere yazıyorum.I am writing the answer in the notebook.
• Bu cevaba katılmıyorum.I disagree with this answer.
• Cevaplarımız bugün hazır.Our answers are ready today.
• Bu cevapta iki hata var.There are two mistakes in this answer.
• Öğrenciler soruya cevap veriyor.The students are answering the question.
• Öğretmen öğrencinin cevabını dinliyor.The teacher is listening to the student’s answer.
• Cevaplarınızı yarın okuyacağız.We will read your answers tomorrow.
• Bu cevaptan yeni bir şey öğrendik.We learned something new from this answer.

Watch out

To answer a question, use soruya cevap vermek: the question takes the dative, and cevap stays bare in this expression. Do not transfer the accusative from soruyu cevaplamak into it. Cevabı vermek is also correct, but means giving a particular answer; it is not a compulsory form of cevap vermek.

Try it yourself

1. Complete with cevap: I am reading this answer again.

   Show answer or example answer

   cevabı

   cevabı: bu points to the particular answer being read, so the object takes the accusative. Its vowel-initial ending changes the final consonant to b.

2. Complete with cevap: There are two mistakes in this answer.

   Show answer or example answer

   cevapta

   cevapta: the mistakes are inside the answer, so a location form is needed. The ending begins with t after voiceless p; the stem keeps p.

3. Use the plural of cevap with “our”: Our answers are ready.

   Show answer or example answer

   cevaplarımız

   cevaplarımız: there is more than one answer, and the answers belong to us: cevap + -lar + -ımız. The plural comes before the possessive; its initial l leaves p unchanged.

4. Complete with soru: The teacher is answering the question.

   Show answer or example answer

   soruya

   soruya: the question is what the teacher responds to, not the answer being given. The dative attaches to soru with a linking y between the vowels.

Use it today

Write a short classroom exchange: ask one question, give a brief answer, then describe your group’s answers. Use cevap vermek, one form with b, and a plural possessive form.