Dolapta bir bölme var.

There is a compartment in the cupboard.

Breakdown of Dolapta bir bölme var.

• bir: a
• var: to exist
• -ta: in
• dolap: the cupboard
• bölme: the compartment

Questions & Answers about Dolapta bir bölme var.

What does dolap mean?

Dolap means cupboard or cabinet, a piece of furniture used for storage.

What does the suffix -ta in dolapta indicate?

The -ta is the locative case suffix, indicating location; dolapta literally means in the cupboard or in the cabinet.

Why is it -ta and not -da?

Turkish consonant harmony (voicing assimilation) changes d to t after a voiceless consonant. Dolap ends in p, so the locative suffix becomes -ta.

What is the role of bir in this sentence?

bir is the indefinite numeral one, functioning like the English article a/an. In existential sentences with countable nouns, it specifies that exactly one item exists.

Could I omit bir and say Dolapta bölme var?

You could, but it sounds less natural and more general (i.e. “there is compartment(s)”). Including bir specifies exactly one compartment.

What exactly does var mean? Is it a verb?

var is the existential verb to exist, meaning there is/are. It stays the same in present tense for both singular and plural.

Why is the word order Dolapta bir bölme var? Can I change it?

Turkish is flexible; existential sentences follow [location] + [thing] + var. You can also say Bir bölme dolapta var, but placing the locative at the start is more neutral.

How do you negate Dolapta bir bölme var to mean There is no compartment in the cabinet?

Use the negative counterpart yok instead of var: Dolapta bir bölme yok.

How would you say There are two compartments in the cabinet in Turkish?

Replace bir with iki: Dolapta iki bölme var.

Are there alternative ways to express existence besides using var?

Yes. For instance:
• Dolapta bir bölme bulunuyor (more formal, “a compartment is found in the cabinet”).
• Dolapta bir bölme mevcut (“a compartment is present in the cabinet”).