Questions & Answers about Kedim şişman değil.
What does kedim mean exactly, and what does the -im ending do?
Kedim means my cat.
It is made of:
- kedi = cat
- -im = my
So Turkish often expresses possession by adding a suffix directly to the noun, instead of using a separate word like my.
Because kedi ends in a vowel, the possessive ending appears as -m with a buffer-like form written as -im, giving kedi + m = kedim.
Why is there no word for is in this sentence?
In Turkish, in simple present-tense sentences like this one, the verb to be is often not stated as a separate word.
So:
- Kedim şişman. = My cat is fat.
- Kedim şişman değil. = My cat is not fat.
English requires is, but Turkish usually does not in this kind of sentence.
Why is değil separate? Why isn’t the negative attached to şişman?
Değil is the standard word used to negate noun and adjective predicates.
Since şişman is an adjective meaning fat / plump, Turkish makes it negative with değil:
- şişman = fat
- şişman değil = not fat
So the structure is:
- Kedim = my cat
- şişman değil = is not fat
This is different from verb negation, where Turkish often uses a suffix attached to the verb.
What is the basic word order in Kedim şişman değil?
Could I also say Benim kedim şişman değil?
Yes, absolutely.
- Kedim şişman değil. = My cat isn’t fat.
- Benim kedim şişman değil. = My cat isn’t fat.
The version with benim is more explicit or emphatic:
- benim = my
- kedim already also means my cat
So using both can add emphasis, similar to my cat as opposed to someone else’s cat.
Why doesn’t şişman change form? Shouldn’t adjectives agree with the noun?
In Turkish, adjectives do not agree with nouns the way they do in many European languages.
So şişman stays the same regardless of:
- singular or plural
- gender
- possession
Examples:
- Kedim şişman. = My cat is fat.
- Kedilerim şişman. = My cats are fat.
The adjective şişman does not change.
Is şişman always the best translation for fat?
Şişman usually means fat, overweight, or sometimes plump.
Depending on context, it can sound neutral, descriptive, or a bit blunt. That is similar to English, where fat can sometimes sound harsh.
So in this sentence, it simply describes the cat’s size:
- Kedim şişman değil. = My cat is not fat.
Depending on context, English might also translate it as:
- My cat isn’t overweight
- My cat isn’t plump
But the most direct translation is still My cat is not fat.
How would I make this sentence positive instead of negative?
Just remove değil:
- Kedim şişman. = My cat is fat.
So:
- şişman = fat
- şişman değil = not fat
This is a very common pattern with adjectives in Turkish.
How is değil pronounced?
Değil is pronounced roughly like deh-eel, but smoothly, not as two strongly separate syllables.
A few pronunciation notes:
- d as in English dog
- e like e in bed
- ğ usually does not sound like a hard consonant; it often lengthens or softens the vowel before it
- i like ee in see
- l as in light
So learners often hear it approximately as deyil or de-eel, depending on speech style.
Can the word order change for emphasis?
Yes, Turkish word order is somewhat flexible, but Kedim şişman değil is the most neutral and natural version.
If you move words around, you may add emphasis or sound more marked. For everyday use, stick with:
- Kedim şişman değil.
That is the safest standard pattern for My cat is not fat.
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