Learn Hardcore Turkish: Tünel uzun ve dar. - The tunnel is long and narrow.

In Turkish present-tense equational sentences (“A is B”), the copula to be (English “is/are”) is generally omitted. You simply link the noun and the adjective directly. So Tünel uzun ve dar literally reads “Tunnel long and narrow,” which you interpret as “The tunnel is long and narrow.”

Why are uzun and dar placed after tünel, rather than before as in English?

Because here they function as predicative adjectives (part of the “be” clause). In predicative position, Turkish uses the order Subject-Noun + Predicate-Adjective. If you wanted to use them attributively (like “a long tunnel”), you’d put them before the noun: uzun tünel, dar tünel.

Why are there no articles (like a or the) before tünel?

Turkish has no indefinite or definite articles. Nouns appear without a/an/the, and context tells you whether something is specific. Thus Tünel uzun ve dar can mean “A tunnel is long and narrow” or “The tunnel is long and narrow,” depending on the situation.

Why don’t uzun and dar carry any case or agreement suffix here?

Adjectives—whether attributive or predicative—remain in their bare (dictionary) form. Only nouns take case endings or plural markers. So predicative adjectives like uzun/dar never get extra suffixes.

How can I say The tunnel is long and narrow if I want to specify it’s a particular tunnel?

Add a demonstrative pronoun bu (“this”) before the noun: Bu tünel uzun ve dar.
That makes it clear you’re talking about this specific tunnel.

How would I ask Is the tunnel long and narrow??

Attach the question particle mı (in its vowel-harmonized form) to the end of the predicate. Since the last word is dar, it becomes mı: Tünel uzun ve dar mı?
You can also say Bu tünel uzun ve dar mı? for “Is this tunnel long and narrow?”

How do I negate this sentence to say The tunnel isn’t long and narrow?

Use the negative copula değil after the adjectives: Tünel uzun ve dar değil.
Literally “Tunnel long and narrow not-be.” You can add bu if you want “This tunnel isn’t long and narrow.”

How would I say Tunnels are long and narrow for multiple tunnels?

Pluralize tünel with the suffix -ler: Tüneller uzun ve dar.
Again, no extra copula, and the adjectives stay in the bare form. If you need “these tunnels,” say Bu tüneller uzun ve dar.

Can I use the suffix -dir here to sound more formal or emphatic?

Yes. In formal or written Turkish, you can add -dir to each adjective (or at least the last one) as a copula: Tünel uzundur ve dardır.
This -dir adds emphasis or definiteness. In casual speech, though, you’d usually stick with Tünel uzun ve dar.