Unutmak zor.

to be

Breakdown of Unutmak zor.

• zor: difficult
• unutmak: to forget

Questions & Answers about Unutmak zor.

What is the grammatical role of unutmak in the sentence “Unutmak zor”?

Unutmak is the infinitive form of the verb to forget. In Turkish, the infinitive (formed with –mak/–mek) can function as a noun. Here, it acts as the subject of the sentence, summarizing the idea of forgetting in general.

Why does “Unutmak zor” lack an explicit linking verb like is?

In Turkish, the present tense of the copula to be is often omitted. Adjectives used in a predicate position—such as zor (hard)—directly follow the subject without needing a separate verb. This elliptical structure is common in Turkish simple statements.

What does the adjective zor mean, and how is it used here?

The adjective zor means difficult or hard. In “Unutmak zor,” it describes the inherent difficulty of the action expressed by the infinitive unutmak. Since Turkish allows adjectives to stand alone as predicates, zor effectively conveys that forgetting is challenging.

Why is the infinitive form used instead of a conjugated verb form?

Turkish often employs the infinitive form as a nominal (noun-like) construction to state general truths about an activity. Using unutmak instead of a conjugated verb turns the act of forgetting into a subject about which a general observation (that it is zor) is made.

Are there alternative ways to express the same idea in Turkish?

Yes, you might also encounter “Unutmak zordur”. In this version, the suffix -dur serves as an explicit copula equivalent to is, which confirms that forgetting is hard. Both forms are grammatically correct, though the shorter version without -dur is more common in everyday speech.