Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sağlıklı kalmak için düzenli egzersiz şarttır. - Regular exercise is essential to stay healthy.

In Turkish you attach the infinitive ending -mak/-mek to the verb root (here kal → kalmak) and follow it with için to mean “in order to.” So Sağlıklı kalmak için literally means “for staying healthy” or “in order to stay healthy.”

Why do we use kalmak instead of olmak with sağlıklı?

Sağlıklı olmak means “to be healthy.” Adding kalmak (“to stay”) shifts the focus to maintaining that state—“to stay healthy.” The sentence emphasizes an ongoing, continuous condition rather than simply becoming healthy once.

What does düzenli mean and how is it formed?

Düzenli is an adjective meaning “regular” or “consistent.” It comes from the noun düzen (“order/arrangement”) plus the adjectival suffix -li, which indicates possessing that quality.

Why isn’t there a verb like egzersiz yapmak in the sentence?

Although you often say egzersiz yapmak (“to do exercise”), you can drop yapmak when referring to the activity in general. Düzenli egzersiz by itself means “regular exercise” (the concept/activity), so it can function as the subject without an extra verb.

What is şarttır and how does it function grammatically?

Şarttır is the noun şart (“condition/requirement”) plus the third-person singular copular suffix -tır, yielding “is required” or “is a must.” It states that something is essential or mandatory.

What’s the difference between şarttır and gereklidir?

Both convey “is necessary,” but:
• şarttır feels stronger and more colloquial—“it’s a must.”
• gereklidir (from gerekli + -dir) is more formal or neutral—“it is necessary.”

Why is şarttır spelled with a double t?

Two phonological rules apply:

Vowel harmony: şart contains the vowel a (a back, unrounded vowel), so the correct copula form is -tır.
Consonant assimilation: şart ends in a voiceless t, so the following voiced d in -dır becomes voiceless t, and you end up with tt. Hence şarttır.