Köpek büyük fakat kedi küçük.

The dog is big but the cat is small.

Breakdown of Köpek büyük fakat kedi küçük.

• olmak: to be
• küçük: small
• kedi: the cat
• köpek: the dog
• büyük: big
• fakat: but

Questions & Answers about Köpek büyük fakat kedi küçük.

What is the role of fakat in this sentence?

fakat is a conjunction that means but. It connects two contrasting ideas—in this case, that the dog is big while the cat is small.

Why is there no equivalent of the English verb is in this sentence?

In Turkish, the present tense of the verb to be is typically omitted in simple descriptive statements. So instead of saying "The dog is big", Turkish simply uses "Köpek büyük" without an explicit linking verb.

How does the placement of adjectives work in this sentence compared to English?

Turkish places predicate adjectives directly after the subject. In "Köpek büyük fakat kedi küçük", büyük (big) follows köpek (dog) and küçük (small) follows kedi (cat), effectively describing each subject without needing a copular verb.

Do adjectives in Turkish change their form based on the noun’s gender or number?

No, adjectives like büyük and küçük remain unchanged regardless of gender or plurality. They do not inflect to agree with the noun in the way that adjectives might in some other languages.

Can fakat be replaced with another conjunction, and if so, what changes?

Yes, fakat can be replaced with ama, which also means but. Ama is more commonly used in everyday conversation, while fakat may sound slightly more formal. The meaning remains essentially the same.

Is there any special emphasis conveyed by the sentence structure in Turkish?

The structure is direct and succinct. By placing the adjectives immediately after the subjects and linking them with fakat, the sentence emphasizes the clear contrast between the two animals. This concise arrangement, without extra linking verbs, focuses attention on the descriptive qualities of each animal.