Learn Hardcore Turkish: Mesele para.

mesele is a noun meaning matter, point, or issue in English. You use it when you want to highlight the main point or crux of a discussion.

Why isn't there a copula (to be) in Mesele para?

In Turkish equational sentences, the present‐tense copula -dır/-dir is often dropped in spoken or informal contexts. The full, more formal version is Mesele paradır, but in everyday speech you simply say Mesele para.

Does adding -dır change the formality of the phrase?

Yes.

Mesele paradır (with -dır) sounds more formal or literary, suitable for written or official contexts.
Mesele para (without -dır) is colloquial and common in conversation.

Why doesn't para take any case ending in Mesele para?

Because in Turkish equational sentences both the subject and the predicate noun remain in the nominative case (no suffix). Here mesele is the subject and para is the predicate nominative, so para stays bare.

How do I ask “What’s the issue?” in Turkish?

You can say:
Mesele ne?
If you prefer a synonym, you can also use Sorun ne?

How can I make Mesele para negative?

Use the negative copula değil:
Mesele para değil
This means “The issue is not money.”

Are there synonyms for mesele like sorun or konu, and are they interchangeable?

Yes, you’ll see several words for issue/matter, each with a slight nuance:

sorun: often implies a problem or difficulty
konu: more neutral, like topic
mesele: emphasizes the point or crux
Example variations:
Sorun para
Konu para
Mesele para
All are understandable, but mesele highlights the essence of what you’re talking about.

How can I emphasize para in this sentence?

You can add işte at the beginning or put extra stress on para in speech:
İşte mesele para
işte works like English “indeed” or “right”, drawing attention to the fact that money is the central issue.