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Questions & Answers about Durak bazen kalabalık.
What is the literal translation of Durak bazen kalabalık.?
Durak means station (or bus stop, depending on context), bazen translates as sometimes, and kalabalık means crowded. So, the literal translation is "Station sometimes crowded." In natural English, we understand it as "The station is sometimes crowded." Notice that Turkish omits the linking verb is.
Why is there no word for “is” in the sentence?
In Turkish, the present tense of the verb to be is typically left out when stating a condition. The relationship between the subject (durak) and the adjective (kalabalık) is understood without needing an explicit verb. This is a common feature in Turkish sentence structure.
What role does the word bazen play in this sentence?
Bazen is an adverb meaning sometimes. It modifies the adjective kalabalık by indicating that the station is not always crowded but only on some occasions.
Why is the sentence structured as “Durak bazen kalabalık” rather than including extra words?
Turkish sentences, especially simple descriptive ones, tend to be concise. The typical order is Subject – Adverb – Predicate. In this case, durak (subject) comes first, bazen (adverb) modifies the description, and kalabalık (predicate adjective) tells us the condition of the subject. This straightforward structure is standard in Turkish.
How is definiteness conveyed in the sentence without an article like “the” before durak?
Turkish does not use definite or indefinite articles like the or a/an. Instead, context and word order help the listener understand whether a noun is specific or general. Here, durak stands alone, and the context usually reveals whether it refers to a specific station or stations in general.
Can the word order in this sentence be changed without altering the meaning?
Yes, Turkish allows for a flexible word order primarily because grammatical relationships are indicated through suffixes and context. For example, placing bazen at the beginning—as in “Bazen durak kalabalık”—might add emphasis to the adverb, but it still means "The station is sometimes crowded." However, the original order is the most common for a neutral statement.