Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kısım önemli.

Kısım functions as the subject. Although it translates as “part” in English—and would usually appear as “the part” in context—Turkish doesn’t use an article, so kısım alone carries the intended meaning.

Why is there no word equivalent to “is” in the sentence Kısım önemli?

Turkish omits the copula (the linking verb “to be”) in the present tense. In this sentence, the adjective önemli directly follows the subject kısım to describe its state, effectively meaning “(The part) is important” without needing an extra verb.

Why is önemli placed after kısım instead of before it?

In Turkish, when an adjective serves as a predicate (describing the subject’s state), it is placed after the subject. If the adjective were used attributively (modifying a noun within a noun phrase), it would generally come before the noun. Here, önemli is a predicate adjective, so it follows kısım.

How does the absence of an article in kısım affect its meaning compared to English?

Turkish does not have definite or indefinite articles like English does. In Kısım önemli, the noun kısım stands alone and relies on context to indicate whether it’s referring to “the part” or “a part.” Native speakers use the context of the conversation to determine the specificity implied in English.

What impact would adding a demonstrative word have, such as changing the sentence to Bu kısım önemli?

Adding a demonstrative like bu (meaning “this”) would explicitly specify which part is being discussed. Bu kısım önemli clearly indicates that the particular part being pointed out is important, whereas Kısım önemli relies on prior context to identify the part in question.