"Onlar takım elbise giyerler."

Translation: They wear suits.

[j.wilder]

So why isn't "takım elbise" written in the plural here? In this context, would people usually say this word in the singular when referring to the plural?

[Thimblefox]

I think this has to do with "onlar", when using it you can drop the plural in some cases? Maybe when its self-referential. Hope someone clears this up.

[Quolh]

I think it's down to Turkish working with a different mind-set from English. In some contexts when trying to communicate a meaning it really isn't necessary to state whether the thing you're referring to is singular or plural. This is a case in point. "They" would never actually be wearing one suit between them so in Turkish you don't need to clarify that. In English the grammar requires that you do but following the english grammar rule adds nothing to the meaning.

[Danika_Dakika]

An indefinite/general direct object will never be in the plural.

[dosAidos]

Out of curiosity, what does takIm elbise mean literaly?

[Ektoraskan]

set-dress

[PrinciKhew]

Takim means wear and giyerler means wear.. why two words of same meaning used in this sentence?

[OmarAhmed19]

"takım elbise" here is one word meaning a suit, it belongs to a set of nouns in turkish called compound nouns such as ayakkabı, hayvanat bahçesi...etc.

[Quolh]

In this context "takım" is part of the compound noun "takım elbise".

[Eva242549]

is takim a noun? If so, why is this not following the compound noun construction, with the second one in possessive form? Just want to be clear....

[Danika_Dakika]

"Takım" is a noun, but here it is used as a unit of measure -- this is a set/team/group of clothes. In that meaning, you do not use the compound-noun form.

[Paul333230]

İs onlsr necessary here

[Danika_Dakika]

Not in the Turkish sentence -- unless you have a "Write what you hear" exercise.