Yemek yavaş pişiyor.

The food is cooking slowly.

Breakdown of Yemek yavaş pişiyor.

• yemek: the food
• yavaş: slowly

Questions & Answers about Yemek yavaş pişiyor.

What does “Yemek yavaş pişiyor” mean, and what is its overall structure?

The sentence means “The food is cooking slowly.” In this structure, “yemek” (food) is the subject, “yavaş” (slow/slowly) functions as an adverb, and “pişiyor” is the present continuous form of the verb pişmek (to cook). Turkish typically follows a Subject–Adverb–Verb order.

How does “yavaş” work as an adverb in this sentence even though it is technically an adjective?

In Turkish, adjectives can be used directly as adverbs without adding an extra suffix like -ly in English. Although yavaş is an adjective meaning “slow,” when it modifies the verb pişiyor, it effectively means “slowly.” While you could also say “yavaşça,” using the base form yavaş is common and fully understood.

How is the present continuous tense formed in “Yemek yavaş pişiyor”?

The present continuous tense in Turkish is formed by adding the suffix -yor to the verb stem. Here, from the verb pişmek (to cook), the stem piş- takes -iyor to become pişiyor, indicating that the cooking action is currently in progress. The sentence is in third-person singular, where yemek is the subject.

Why does Turkish express the action with “Yemek yavaş pişiyor” without explicitly mentioning an agent (like a cook)?

Turkish often uses intransitive constructions to describe processes. In this case, the food itself is characterized as undergoing the cooking process, which mirrors a common linguistic pattern in Turkish. Instead of saying “someone cooks the food,” Turkish naturally expresses it as “the food cooks,” understanding that an implicit process or agent is at work.

Can “yavaş” be replaced with “yavaşça” in this sentence, and what is the difference if any?

Yes, “yavaşça” is also a correct adverbial form meaning “slowly.” However, in everyday Turkish, it is very common to use the adjective form yavaş directly as an adverb without any change. Both forms would be understood, but yavaş is more frequently used in casual and conversational contexts.