Resimde simetri var.

to be

Breakdown of Resimde simetri var.

• simetri: the symmetry
• resimde: in the picture

Questions & Answers about Resimde simetri var.

What does the suffix -de in resimde mean and why is it -de instead of -da?

The suffix -de is the locative case ending, meaning “in” or “on.” So resimde = “in the picture.”
Because of Turkish vowel harmony, words with front vowels (e, i, ö, ü) take -de, while words with back vowels (a, ı, o, u) take -da. Since resim has the front vowel i, we use -de.

Why isn’t there an article like “a” before simetri? Could we say resimde bir simetri var?

Turkish does not have an indefinite article equivalent to English “a.” A bare noun like simetri var already means “there is symmetry.” You can add bir (one/a) for emphasis or to stress “at least one”: resimde bir simetri var = “there is at least one symmetry in the picture,” but in general you omit bir for generic existence statements.

What is var and why is it used at the end of the sentence?

Var is the existential verb meaning “there is” or “there are.” In Turkish existential sentences, you place var (or its negative form yok) after the noun phrase to indicate existence. Here, simetri var = “there is symmetry.”

How do I turn Resimde simetri var. into a question meaning “Is there symmetry in the picture?”

Add the question particle mı/mu right after var and use question intonation.
Resimde simetri var mı?
Here mı agrees with the preceding vowel a in var (back vowel), so you use – mı.

What’s the difference between resimde simetri var and resimdeki simetri var?

resimde simetri var uses resimde as an adverbial phrase “in the picture.”
resimdeki simetri employs the suffix -ki to form a relative clause: “the symmetry that is in the picture.” So

• Resimde simetri var. = “There is symmetry in the picture.”
• Resimdeki simetri var. = “The symmetry in the picture exists” (more like pointing out a specific symmetry already mentioned or known).

Can I make it plural and say resimde simetriler var?

Yes. resimde simetriler var means “there are symmetries in the picture,” implying multiple symmetries. In existential sentences, you simply pluralize the noun if you want more than one.

Why is the word order resimde simetri var and not var simetri resimde?

Turkish existential sentences generally follow:
 [locative phrase (optional)] + [noun or noun phrase] + var/yok.
Putting var first would sound ungrammatical. The structure highlights where something exists (resimde) and what exists (simetri), then states its existence (var).

Could I use bulunmak instead of var, as in resimde simetri bulunuyor? What’s the nuance?

Yes, bulunmak (“to be found/exist”) is a more formal or descriptive alternative.

• Resimde simetri var. is shorter and very common in everyday speech.
• Resimde simetri bulunuyor. sounds slightly more formal or scientific, like “Symmetry is found in the picture.” Both convey the same basic idea.