Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sınavın süresi kısa. - The duration of the exam is short.

In Turkish, the present-tense copula (the verb “to be”) is usually omitted when linking a noun (or noun phrase) to an adjective. So Sınavın süresi kısa literally reads “The exam’s duration short,” but native speakers understand it as “The exam’s duration is short.”

What do the suffixes -ın in sınavın and -si in süresi indicate?

This pattern is called the genitive–possessive construction: • -ın on sınav marks the genitive (“of the exam”).
• -si on süre is the possessive suffix showing that the duration belongs to that genitive possessor (third person singular).
Together, sınavın süresi = “the duration of the exam.”

Why is the genitive suffix -ın and not -in, -un, or -ün?

Turkish genitive suffixes follow four-way vowel harmony based on the noun’s last vowel: • Last vowel a / ı → -ın
• Last vowel e / i → -in
• Last vowel o / u → -un
• Last vowel ö / ü → -ün
Since sınav’s last vowel is a, the correct genitive form is sınavın.

Why does süre take -si instead of -sı, -su, or -sü?

Possessive suffixes also obey vowel harmony: • After a / ı → -sı
• After e / i → -si
• After o / u → -su
• After ö / ü → -sü
Since süre ends in e, the third-person singular possessive is süresi.

Can I drop the suffixes and just say Sınav süresi kısa?

In casual conversation, you might hear Sınav süresi kısa, and listeners will infer the relationship. However, in standard Turkish the fully correct form uses the genitive–possessive link: sınavın süresi.

How do I turn this into a question: “Is the exam duration short?”

Add the question particle mı/mü/mi/mı after the adjective, matching vowel harmony. Here you say:
• Sınavın süresi kısa mı?
This literally is “The exam’s duration short mı?” → “Is the exam’s duration short?”

How would I say “The exam will be short” instead, focusing on the exam itself?

You can use the verb sürmek (“to last”) or the adjective “short” with the future copula: • Sınav kısa sürecek. – “The exam will last a short time.”
• Sınav kısa olacak. – “The exam will be short.”

Why is kısa placed at the end rather than before sınavın süresi?

When an adjective serves as the predicate, it follows the subject in Turkish. If you want to use kısa attributively (directly describing a noun within a noun phrase), you place it before the noun, for example:
• Kısa bir sınav süresi – “A short exam duration” (noun phrase, not a full sentence).