Learn Hardcore Turkish: Trafik kötü.

It means “Traffic is bad.” The sentence consists of the subject trafik (traffic) and the predicate adjective kötü (bad), conveying a simple evaluative statement.

Why is there no verb equivalent to “is” in the sentence?

In Turkish, the present tense copula (the linking verb “is”) is typically omitted. The relationship between the subject and the predicate adjective is understood from context, so saying “Trafik kötü.” is complete even without an explicit “is.”

Can the sentence be made more formal by including a copula?

Yes, it can. For a more formal or explicit statement, you can say “Trafik kötüdür.” The suffix -dür acts as the copula, making the relationship explicit, though it’s often dropped in everyday speech.

What is the grammatical structure of “Trafik kötü.” in Turkish?

The structure is that of a nominal sentence consisting of: • A subject: trafik
• A predicate adjective: kötü
Because Turkish often omits the verb “to be” in the present tense, the sentence is succinct yet grammatically complete.

Do adjectives like “kötü” change form based on the subject or context?

No, adjectives in Turkish generally remain invariable and do not agree in gender or number with the subject. Therefore, kötü stays the same regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural.