Peynir taze.

The cheese is fresh.

Breakdown of Peynir taze.

• olmak: to be
• taze: fresh
• peynir: the cheese

Questions & Answers about Peynir taze.

Why is there no verb like is or article the in Peynir taze?

Turkish has no articles (no a or the), and in simple present-tense descriptive sentences the copula to be is dropped. So Peynir taze literally reads “cheese fresh” but means “The cheese is fresh.”

When and why can the copula (to be) be omitted in Turkish?

In the present tense, Turkish normally omits -dır/dir (the “is/are” ending). You only add it when you want to sound very formal, state a general truth, or emphasize the fact. In everyday speech you simply say X [adjective].

How do you ask “Is the cheese fresh?” in Turkish?

You add the question particle mi (with vowel harmony) right after the adjective:
Peynir taze mi?

How do you negate Peynir taze?

Insert değil after the adjective:
Peynir taze değil.
(“The cheese is not fresh.”)

How would you say “My cheese is fresh”?

Add the 1st-person possessive suffix -im to peynir:
Peynirim taze.