Learn Hardcore Turkish: Camda çizik var. - There is a scratch on the glass.

The suffix -da is the locative case ending in Turkish, meaning “in” or “on.” You attach it to a noun according to vowel harmony and consonant rules. Here, cam (“glass”) takes -da → camda, so literally “in/on the glass.”

How do I know whether camda means “in the glass” or “on the glass”?

Turkish uses -da for both “in” and “on.” You decide from context and the noun’s nature. Since a scratch appears on the surface, camda is understood as “on the glass.”

What does var mean, and why is it used here?

var is the existential verb “there is”/“there are.” To form an existential sentence, you put the place in the locative case, then the thing, and end with var. So camda çizik var = “on the glass, a scratch exists.”

Why are there no articles (“a” or “the”) before “glass” or “scratch”?

Turkish has no definite or indefinite articles. Nouns appear bare, and context tells you if they are specific or not. If you need to stress “a,” you can add bir: camda bir çizik var (“there is a scratch on the glass”).

Why is çizik singular? How would I say “there are scratches”?

When you talk about one scratch, no plural suffix is needed. To indicate more than one, use -ler/-lar before var:
camda çizikler var = “there are scratches on the glass.”

Could I express the same idea with an adjective, like çizikli cam?

çizikli cam means “scratched glass,” describing the glass as having scratches in general. camda çizik var focuses on noticing a (specific) scratch on the glass right now. They’re related but not interchangeable.

What is the typical word order for sentences with var?

The natural order is:

Location in the locative (e.g. camda)
The noun that exists (e.g. çizik)
var
Reordering is possible but this sequence is the most idiomatic.

How do I pronounce çizik and camda correctly?

çizik is pronounced where the first i is like “ee” in “see,” and the second ı is the unrounded vowel /ɯ/.
camda is with a soft “j.”