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Questions & Answers about Burada çivi yok.
What does Burada çivi yok literally mean and how is it structured?
- Burada means “here” or “in this place.”
- çivi means “nail.”
- yok is the negative existential, “there isn’t” or “there’s no.”
Literally it’s “Here nail none,” i.e. “There is no nail here.”
Why is there no verb meaning “to be” in the sentence, and what is the role of yok?
Turkish doesn’t use olmak (to be) in simple existential statements. Instead you use:
- var for positive existence (“there is/are”)
- yok for negative existence (“there isn’t/aren’t,” “no …”)
So Burada çivi yok means “There isn’t a nail here,” with yok handling both the copula and negation.
What is the difference between yok and değil when negating something?
- yok expresses non‐existence: “there is no/there are none.”
- değil negates descriptions or identifies something as “not X.”
Example:
• Burada çivi yok = “There is no nail here.”
• Bu çivi değil = “This is not a nail” (it’s something else).
Why is there no article like “a” or “the” before çivi?
Turkish has no indefinite article (a/an). Indefinite nouns appear without an article. Definite nouns can take the accusative (e.g. çiviyi), but here çivi is indefinite and in the nominative, so no article or ending.
Can I change the word order, for example Çivi burada yok?
Yes. Turkish word order is flexible.
- Burada çivi yok (neutral)
- Çivi burada yok (emphasizes “the nail”)
Either means “There is no nail here,” but emphasis shifts.
How do I ask “Is there a nail here?” in Turkish?
Turn var into a question with the particle mı/mi (matching the vowel):
Burada çivi var mı?
= “Is there a nail here?”
How do I say “There are no nails” or “There really aren’t any nails” in Turkish?
- Plural: Burada çiviler yok = “There are no nails here.”
- Stronger: Burada hiçbir çivi yok = “There really aren’t any nails here” (literally “no single nail”).
How do I pronounce çivi?
- ç = “ch” as in church
- dotted i = “ee” as in see
So çivi is pronounced approximately chee-vee.