Sokak çıkmaz.

to be

Breakdown of Sokak çıkmaz.

• sokak: the street
• çıkmaz: dead-end

Questions & Answers about Sokak çıkmaz.

What is the grammatical structure of the sentence Sokak çıkmaz?

The sentence is a nominal sentence where Sokak (meaning street) serves as the subject in the nominative case, and çıkmaz functions as the predicate adjective describing the subject’s condition. In Turkish, especially with present simple statements, a linking verb (or copula) like is in English is typically omitted, which is why the sentence is both brief and complete.

Why is there no linking verb (such as is) in the sentence Sokak çıkmaz?

Turkish commonly uses a "zero copula" in the present tense. This means that the language does not require an explicit linking verb when describing a state or condition. The meaning is clear from context, making sentences shorter and more direct compared to English.

Why does the adjective çıkmaz come after the noun sokak instead of before it, as adjectives usually precede nouns in Turkish?

When adjectives function purely as modifiers within a noun phrase (for example, çıkmaz sokak to mean a dead-end street), they come before the noun. However, in a complete sentence like Sokak çıkmaz, the adjective acts as the predicate, describing the state of the subject. In Turkish predicate constructions, the subject is stated first while the descriptive adjective follows, similar to saying “The street is a dead end” in English.

Is it possible to include a copula in this sentence, and if so, how would that change the structure?

Yes, you can add a copula for a more formal or emphatic expression. By adding the suffix -dır to çıkmaz, the sentence becomes Sokak çıkmazdır. Although correct, this form is less common in everyday spoken Turkish, where the zero copula is preferred for simplicity.

Does the sentence Sokak çıkmaz fully convey its intended meaning despite its brevity?

Absolutely. Despite its concise form, the sentence clearly indicates that the street in question is a dead end. The structure leverages context and the conventions of Turkish grammar—such as the omission of the copula—to communicate the complete idea effectively.