Yemek taze.

The food is fresh.

Breakdown of Yemek taze.

• olmak: to be
• taze: fresh
• yemek: the food

Questions & Answers about Yemek taze.

Why is there no verb such as is in the sentence Yemek taze.?

In Turkish, the present tense copula (the equivalent of is) is typically omitted in simple statements. The sentence Yemek taze. literally means “Food [is] fresh,” with the linking verb understood from context.

What do the words yemek and taze mean in this context?

Yemek means “food” or “meal” (depending on context), and taze means “fresh.” So, Yemek taze. conveys that the food is fresh.

Why is taze placed after yemek instead of before it, as adjectives in English sometimes are?

In Turkish, when an adjective functions as a predicate (describing a state), it follows the subject. Thus, taze comes after yemek in a structure where the adjective completes the meaning of the sentence without needing a linking verb.

Why isn’t there any article like “the” used before yemek?

Turkish does not have articles such as the or a. Definiteness is determined from context, so the lack of an article is normal and does not alter the meaning of the sentence.

Can yemek also function as a verb, and how do we know it’s a noun here?

Yes, yemek can mean “to eat” when used as a verb. In Yemek taze. it functions as a noun because it denotes the subject (food) being described, rather than an action.

How would you change Yemek taze. into a question asking if the food is fresh?

To form a question in Turkish, add the interrogative particle mi at the end of the sentence. Thus, Yemek taze. becomes Yemek taze mi? meaning “Is the food fresh?”