Learn Hardcore Turkish: Pasta en lezzetli. - Cake is the most delicious.

In Turkish, the present tense of the verb to be is usually omitted. This means that although English requires is ("The cake is the tastiest"), Turkish speakers imply the copula without explicitly stating it.

What does the word en mean in this sentence?

En is the superlative marker in Turkish. It functions similarly to saying most in English. So en lezzetli translates to the most delicious or the tastiest.

Why is there no definite article like the before pasta?

Turkish does not use articles such as the or a/an. Nouns simply stand alone, so pasta directly means cake without needing an article.

How is the superlative form constructed in Turkish adjectives?

Turkish forms the superlative by placing en directly before the adjective. In this sentence, lezzetli means delicious, and by adding en, it becomes the most delicious/tastiest.

Do adjectives in Turkish change their form when used as predicates?

In Turkish, adjectives used predicatively typically remain in their base form without any additional endings for the present tense. The context and, in this case, the use of en already provide the necessary information for the superlative.

How do I know what group the superlative is comparing against?

While en makes the adjective superlative (i.e., the highest degree among a group), Turkish often relies on contextual clues to define the comparison group. In this sentence, it is understood from the situation or conversation which cakes or desserts are being compared.