Bakiye hâlâ sıfır.

still

Breakdown of Bakiye hâlâ sıfır.

• sıfır: zero
• bakiye: the account balance

Questions & Answers about Bakiye hâlâ sıfır.

Why is there no word for is in Bakiye hâlâ sıfır?

In Turkish, the verb to be is often not stated in simple present-tense sentences like this one.

So:

• Bakiye hâlâ sıfır. = The balance is still zero.

This is called a nominal sentence. The predicate is sıfır (zero), and Turkish does not need a separate present-tense is here.

Compare:

• Hava güzel. = The weather is nice.
• O yorgun. = He/She is tired.
• Bakiye sıfır. = The balance is zero.

If you want past tense, then Turkish does show it:

• Bakiye hâlâ sıfırdı. = The balance was still zero.

What does hâlâ mean here?

Hâlâ means still.

It shows that the situation has not changed.

So:

• Bakiye sıfır. = The balance is zero.
• Bakiye hâlâ sıfır. = The balance is still zero.

The second sentence suggests that maybe someone expected the balance to change, but it remains zero.

Why is it written hâlâ with a circumflex?