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Questions & Answers about Bu köprüde tehlike var.
What does the suffix -de in köprüde indicate?
The suffix -de is the locative case in Turkish, meaning “in,” “on,” or “at.” So köprüde literally means “on the bridge” or “at the bridge.” Combined with bu (“this”), bu köprüde means “on this bridge.”
Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before köprüde?
Turkish does not use indefinite or definite articles like English does. You convey definiteness instead with demonstratives (e.g., bu = “this”) or context. Here, bu makes it clear you’re talking about a specific bridge, so you don’t need an article.
How do we translate the verb var here?
Var is an existential verb meaning “there is” or “there are.” It tells you that something exists or is present at a location. So tehlike var means “there is danger.”
Could we say Bu köprü tehlikeli instead? What’s the difference?
Yes, Bu köprü tehlikeli means “This bridge is dangerous.” The difference is:
- Bu köprüde tehlike var focuses on the existence of danger on the bridge.
- Bu köprü tehlikeli describes the bridge’s characteristic as dangerous.
Both are correct, but the first highlights that danger is present right now; the second is a more general statement.
Why is the word order tehlike var, not var tehlike?
In Turkish existential sentences, the noun comes first and the verb var or yok follows it. So you always say X var (“there is X”) or X yok (“there isn’t X”).
How would you make this sentence negative?
You replace var with yok, so it becomes Bu köprüde tehlike yok, meaning “There is no danger on this bridge.”
How can I turn it into a question?
Add the question particle -mı/mi after the last word, with proper vowel harmony. It becomes Bu köprüde tehlike var mı? meaning “Is there danger on this bridge?”