Dokuzuncu soru zordu.

Dokuzuncu is the ordinal form of dokuz (nine), so it means ninth.

Turkish usually forms ordinals with the suffix -(I)ncI, which changes according to vowel harmony.
So:

• dokuz = nine
• dokuzuncu = ninth

A few other examples:

• bir → birinci = first
• iki → ikinci = second
• üç → üçüncü = third

So in this sentence, dokuzuncu soru means the ninth question.

Because in Turkish, adjectives and ordinal numbers normally come before the noun they describe.

So:

• dokuzuncu soru = ninth question
• zor soru = difficult question

This is the normal word order. Turkish does not put the adjective after the noun the way some other languages do.

Turkish does not use articles the same way English does. There is no direct equivalent of English the in a sentence like this.

So dokuzuncu soru can naturally mean the ninth question from context.

That is especially normal with ordinal numbers. In English, we usually say the ninth question, but in Turkish you just say dokuzuncu soru.

Soru means question. In a school or exam context, it can also mean a question item or problem on a test.

So depending on context, dokuzuncu soru could refer to:

• the ninth question someone asked
• the ninth question on an exam
• the ninth exercise/problem in a set

In this sentence, it is singular: question, not questions.

Zordu is made from:

• zor = difficult, hard
• -du = a past-tense copular ending, giving the idea of was

So zordu means was difficult or was hard.

In Turkish, this kind of past to be is often attached directly to the adjective or noun, so it becomes one word:

• zor = difficult
• zordu = was difficult

Because Turkish handles to be differently from English.

In the present tense, Turkish often has no visible verb in 3rd person singular:

• Dokuzuncu soru zor. = The ninth question is difficult.

In the past tense, Turkish adds a copular past form, usually attached to the predicate:

• Dokuzuncu soru zordu. = The ninth question was difficult.

So English uses a separate word (was), but Turkish often uses a suffix-like form instead.

This is because of vowel harmony and consonant harmony.

The past copular ending can appear in different forms:

• -dı
• -di
• -du
• -dü
• and after voiceless sounds: -tı, -ti, -tu, -tü

Here, zor contains the vowel o, so vowel harmony gives u. Also, the final sound r is voiced, so the suffix uses d, not t.

So:

• zor
  • -du → zordu

Because soru is not a direct object here. It is the subject/topic of the sentence.

In Turkish, the basic subject form usually has no ending. That is often called the nominative form.

So:

• Dokuzuncu soru zordu. = The ninth question was difficult.
  Here soru is just the subject.

But if question were the direct object of a verb, you might see:

• Dokuzuncu soruyu çözdüm. = I solved the ninth question.

There, soruyu has the accusative ending because it is the object.

Yes. This is the neutral, standard word order for this kind of sentence:

• Dokuzuncu soru = subject/topic
• zordu = predicate

So Dokuzuncu soru zordu. is the most straightforward way to say it.

Turkish word order can change for emphasis, but this version sounds natural and unmarked.

A rough pronunciation is:

do-ku-zun-cu so-ru zor-du

More approximately for an English speaker:

doh-koo-ZOON-joo soh-ROO ZOR-doo

A few helpful notes:

• c in Turkish is pronounced like j in judge
• o and u are pure vowels, not diphthongs
• every written vowel is pronounced
• r is usually lighter than an English r

So the cu part of dokuzuncu sounds like joo, not like English see-you.