Mektup, yazılmadan okunmaz.

The letter is not read without being written.

Breakdown of Mektup, yazılmadan okunmaz.

• okumak: to read
• mektup: the letter
• -madan: without
• yazılmak: to be written

Questions & Answers about Mektup, yazılmadan okunmaz.

What does the suffix -madan in “yazılmadan” mean, and how is it formed?

The suffix -madan attaches to a verb stem to express “without doing” that action. In this sentence, it is added to the passive form yazıl- (from yazılmak, meaning “to be written”), so yazılmadan literally means “without being written.” This construction is common in Turkish to indicate that one action must precede another.

Why is there a comma after Mektup in the sentence?

The comma after Mektup is used to create a clear separation between the subject and the rest of the sentence. In Turkish, such punctuation can provide a natural pause and emphasize the subject before the condition is introduced. Although optional, it helps clarify the structure and reading rhythm.

How is the negative meaning expressed in okunmaz?

The word okunmaz comes from the verb okumak (“to read”) with the negative suffix -maz added to its stem, forming a present simple negative. This means “is not read” or “cannot be read.” The structure succinctly states that the letter remains unread unless the condition (being written) is met.

How does this sentence express a conditional idea without using an “if” clause like in English?

Instead of an explicit “if” clause, Turkish often uses adverbial participles to imply conditions. In this case, yazılmadan (“without being written”) serves as an implicit condition for the outcome stated by okunmaz. This compact structure conveys that a letter won’t be read unless it is written, encapsulating the conditional relationship within a single phrase.

Why isn’t the subject repeated in the predicate, and how is the connection maintained?

Turkish frequently omits repeating the subject when it is already clearly established. In this sentence, Mektup (“letter”) is stated at the beginning, so the rest of the sentence naturally refers back to it without needing to mention it again. This omission avoids redundancy while keeping the meaning clear in context.