Okulda cep telefonu yasak.

to be

Breakdown of Okulda cep telefonu yasak.

• okul: the school
• cep telefonu: the cell phone
• yasak: forbidden

Questions & Answers about Okulda cep telefonu yasak.

What is the role of the suffix -da in Okulda?

The suffix -da is the locative case marker in Turkish, indicating location. In this sentence, Okulda means “at school.”

Why is there no copula verb (like “is”) in the sentence?

In Turkish, it is common to omit the copula in present or universal statements. The adjective yasak (“banned/forbidden”) serves as the predicate without needing a linking verb.

What does the phrase cep telefonu literally mean?

Cep telefonu literally combines cep (“pocket”) and telefonu (the possessed form of “telephone”) to mean “pocket telephone,” which is the Turkish term for a cell phone.

Is the subject missing from the sentence, and if so, why?

No explicit subject appears because Turkish often omits subjects when they are understood from context, especially in general statements like rules or prohibitions.

Can this sentence be rephrased to include a verb or more explicit structure?

Yes, you could say Okulda cep telefonu kullanmak yasaktır, which translates to “Using cell phones at school is forbidden.” This version uses the infinitive kullanmak (“to use”) and the inflected form yasaktır to include a verb and make the sentence structure more explicit.