Learn Hardcore Turkish: Düzenli egzersiz işe yarar.

Düzenli means “regular” or “consistent”, egzersiz means “exercise”, and işe yarar translates as “works” or “is effective”. So the sentence implies that regular exercise is effective.

How does the dative case in işe yarar function grammatically?

In işe yarar, the word işe is formed by taking iş (“work” or “use”) and adding the dative suffix -e. This suffix often indicates the target or purpose. In the idiomatic expression işe yarar, it helps convey that something serves its intended purpose—in this case, that exercise is beneficial.

Why is there no auxiliary verb (like “is”) present in the sentence?

Turkish syntax commonly omits the copula in the present tense. The verb form yarar alone expresses the state of “working” or “being effective”. Therefore, no additional auxiliary equivalent to “is” is needed to convey the complete idea.

How would I form a negative sentence meaning “Regular exercise does not work”?

To form the negative, replace yarar with its negative form yaramaz. The negative sentence becomes: Düzenli egzersiz işe yaramaz.

Can işe yarar be used in contexts other than describing exercise?

Yes, işe yarar is an idiomatic expression used to indicate that something is effective or works as intended. For example, you might say Bu tedavi işe yarar (“This treatment works”) or Bu yöntem işe yarar (“This method works”).

How does the word order in this Turkish sentence compare to English?

In Turkish, adjectives like düzenli typically come before the noun they modify (egzersiz), and the verb (işe yarar) appears at the end of the sentence. This contrasts with the English subject‑verb‑object order, making Turkish sentence structure distinct from English.