Learn Hardcore Turkish: Dağ yüksek.

Dağ translates to mountain and yüksek translates to high. Together, the sentence conveys the idea "The mountain is high." (Even though Turkish doesn’t use a word equivalent to the.)

Why is there no explicit copula such as is in the sentence?

In Turkish, the present tense copula is typically omitted in descriptive sentences. The omission means that Dağ yüksek. naturally expresses "The mountain is high." without needing a separate word for is.

Why is there no definite article (like the) before dağ?

Turkish does not use articles like the or a. Instead, definiteness is understood from the context, so dağ can imply either "mountain" or "the mountain" depending on the situation.

Is the noun + adjective word order typical for descriptive sentences in Turkish, and how does it work in this example?

Yes, Turkish often uses a noun + adjective structure for predicates. In Dağ yüksek., the noun dağ serves as the subject and the adjective yüksek functions as the predicate, describing the subject without the need for an explicit linking verb.

How would the sentence change if I wanted to use the adjective in an attributive position instead of as a predicate?

When used attributively, the adjective comes before the noun. For example, "yüksek dağ" means "high mountain", which is used as a noun phrase rather than a full sentence.

How would you express the plural form, as in "The mountains are high." in Turkish?

To make dağ plural, add the plural suffix -lar (or -ler based on vowel harmony). This gives you "Dağlar yüksek.", which translates to "The mountains are high."