Yarınki sınav zor olacak.

to be

Breakdown of Yarınki sınav zor olacak.

• zor: difficult
• sınav: the exam
• yarınki: tomorrow's

Questions & Answers about Yarınki sınav zor olacak.

What is the function of the suffix -ki in yarınki?

-ki is a derivational suffix that turns a noun or time expression into an adjective meaning “of that X.” Here yarın (tomorrow) + -ki = yarınki, so yarınki sınav literally means “the exam of tomorrow,” i.e. “tomorrow’s exam.”

Why is yarınki written as one word without an apostrophe?

In Turkish, suffixes attach directly to common nouns without an apostrophe or hyphen. Apostrophes are only used when adding suffixes to proper names (e.g. Türkiye’de). Since yarın is not a proper noun, its suffix -ki is simply appended: yarınki.

Does -ki change form according to vowel harmony (like -lar/-ler)?

No. The adjectival -ki is invariant—it always appears as -ki, regardless of the vowels or consonants in the base word. It does not follow Turkish vowel harmony.

Could I say yarının sınavı zor olacak instead? What’s the difference?

Yes, yarının sınavı zor olacak uses the genitive (yarının) + possessive (sınavı) construction and also means “tomorrow’s exam will be difficult.”
Difference:
• yarınki sınav is a straightforward adjective form and more idiomatic for time expressions.
• yarının sınavı is grammatically correct but a bit heavier (two case/possessive endings). Both are understood the same.