Telefon numarası önemli.

The phone number is important.

Breakdown of Telefon numarası önemli.

• olmak: to be
• önemli: important
• telefon numarası: the phone number

Questions & Answers about Telefon numarası önemli.

Why is there no article before telefon numarası?

Turkish does not use definite or indefinite articles like English a, an, or the. A bare noun can be interpreted as definite or indefinite based on context.

• telefon numarası önemli can mean “a phone number is important” or “the phone number is important.”
• If you need to be explicit, you add a demonstrative:
  
  • bu telefon numarası önemli “this phone number is important”
  • o telefon numarası önemli “that phone number is important”

What does the suffix -sı in numarası represent?

The -sı ending is the third-person singular possessive suffix. Literally, telefon numarası means “its phone number” or “the phone number of (something).” In compounds like telefon+numara, Turkish requires a possessive link for the second noun:

• Unlinked: telefon numara (incorrect)
• Linked: telefonunun numarası (“the number of the phone”)
• Shortened: telefon numarası

Why isn’t there a copula like -dır or a form of olmak in this sentence?

In everyday Turkish, the copula (olmak “to be” or its suffix -dır/-dir) is often dropped, especially in spoken or informal contexts. Predicative adjectives can stand alone:

• telefon numarası önemli (informal)
• telefon numarası önemlidir (formal/written)

What’s the difference between telefon numarası önemli and önemli telefon numarası?

Word order and function change the meaning:

• telefon numarası önemli = “the phone number is important.” (complete sentence; telefon numarası is the subject, önemli is the predicate adjective)
• önemli telefon numarası = “an important phone number.” (noun phrase; önemli modifies telefon numarası)

How would you form the plural for “phone numbers are important”?

Add the plural suffix -lar/-ler to numara, then keep the predicate adjective unchanged:

• telefon numaraları önemli.
  Note: The adjective önemli does not take a plural ending.

How can I turn this into a question, “Is the phone number important?”

Use the question particle mi (with vowel harmony) after önemli, separated by a space:

• Telefon numarası önemli mi?

How do I say “Your phone number is important” in Turkish?

You replace the third-person suffix -sı with the second-person suffix -nız/-n (formal/informal):

• Informal singular: Telefon numaran önemli.
• Formal or plural: Telefon numaranız önemli.

How do I emphasize that the phone number is very important?

You can add an intensifier like çok (“very”) before önemli:

• Telefon numarası çok önemli.
  Or use adverbs like son derece (“extremely”):
• Telefon numarası son derece önemli.