Learn Hardcore Turkish: Geçen hafta yan komşunun mutfağında küçük bir yangın çıktı, neyse ki kısa sürede söndürüldü. - English: “Last week, a small fire broke out in my next-door neighbor’s kitchen; luckily, it was extinguished quickly.”

"Yan komşunun" translates to "of the next-door neighbor." Here, "yan" means "next to" or "adjacent," and "komşu" means "neighbor." The suffix "-nun" attached to "komşu" indicates possession, showing that something belongs to that neighbor.

How is the word "mutfağında" formed, and what do its suffixes indicate?

"Mutfağında" comes from the noun "mutfak" meaning "kitchen." It receives a possessive suffix (implied by the vowel change) which turns it into "mutfağı" (meaning "his/her/their kitchen") and then the locative suffix "-nda" is added to indicate "in." Together, they form "in the kitchen" (specifically, in the kitchen of the next-door neighbor).

What does "küçük bir yangın çıktı" mean, and why is "çıktı" used here?

The phrase "küçük bir yangın çıktı" means "a small fire broke out." The verb "çıktı" comes from "çıkmak" and is used to express that the fire "broke out" or "erupted" unexpectedly. It conveys the sudden onset of the fire.

How is the passive voice expressed in the term "söndürüldü"?

"Söndürüldü" is the passive past tense form of the verb "söndürmek" (to extinguish). In Turkish, the action is expressed without mentioning who performed it. Through a series of suffixes that denote both the passive construction and the past tense, "söndürüldü" means "was extinguished" or "was put out."

What is the function of the phrase "neyse ki" in this sentence?

"Neyse ki" translates as "fortunately" or "luckily." It is used to introduce a positive or reassuring note—in this case, that despite the alarm of a fire, it was quickly put out. It signals that the outcome was favorable.

Why is there a comma before "neyse ki" in the sentence?

The comma serves to separate two distinct parts of the sentence. In this case, it distinguishes the description of the incident (the fire breaking out) from the comment on the outcome (that it was extinguished quickly). This use of punctuation mirrors both Turkish and English practices for connecting related clauses.

How does "geçen hafta" function in this sentence?

"Geçen hafta" means "last week." It sets the temporal context for the entire event by indicating when the incident (the fire) occurred. Starting the sentence with this time marker helps situate the narrative in the past, making the sequence of events clear.