Köpek, tren gibi hızlı.

The dog is as fast as a train.

Breakdown of Köpek, tren gibi hızlı.

• olmak: to be
• köpek: the dog
• tren: the train
• hızlı: fast
• gibi: like

Questions & Answers about Köpek, tren gibi hızlı.

Why is there no verb such as "is" in the sentence?

In Turkish, the present tense of the verb "to be" is usually omitted. The sentence Köpek, tren gibi hızlı. is understood as "The dog is as fast as a train" even though the linking verb "is" doesn’t appear explicitly.

What role does gibi play in this sentence?

Gibi is a postposition that means "like" or "as" in English. It’s used in simile constructions to compare one thing with another. In this sentence, tren gibi conveys the idea of being as fast as a train.

Why is there a comma after Köpek?

The comma is used to separate the subject from the comparative phrase. By writing Köpek, tren gibi hızlı., the speaker highlights that the dog is being directly compared to a train in terms of speed, clarifying the sentence structure.

How does the comparative structure in Turkish differ from English?

Instead of using a double "as" construction like in English ("as fast as"), Turkish forms comparatives by placing the noun (the item of comparison) immediately before gibi and then the adjective. So tren gibi hızlı directly translates to "like a train fast", conveying "as fast as a train".

Why are there no articles like "the" used before Köpek or tren?

Turkish does not have articles equivalent to the English "the" or "a/an". Nouns are used without these markers, so Köpek simply means "dog" and tren means "train", without any additional words.

Does the omission of certain words affect the overall meaning of the sentence?

Not at all. In Turkish, omitting the copula (the linking verb) and articles is normal in everyday speech. Despite these omissions, the meaning is clear from context. The structure Köpek, tren gibi hızlı. efficiently conveys that "the dog is as fast as a train."