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Questions & Answers about Bugün hava nemli.
Why is there no word for is in the sentence Bugün hava nemli?
In Turkish, the present-tense copula (“to be”) is usually omitted in simple descriptive sentences. You simply state the subject and then the predicate adjective. Literally it reads “Today weather humid,” but we understand “Today the weather is humid.”
What does the suffix -li mean in nemli?
The suffix -li (adjusted by vowel harmony) turns the noun nem (“moisture”) into an adjective. So nem + -li = nemli, meaning “moist” or “humid.”
What is the exact meaning of nemli in English?
nemli most often translates as humid when referring to weather, or damp/moist when describing something tangible (like a towel). In Bugün hava nemli, it means “the weather is humid.”
Why is Bugün at the beginning of the sentence? Could I put hava or nemli first?
Turkish word order is fairly flexible, but the predicate (here nemli) normally comes last. Time expressions like Bugün often come first for emphasis, though you could also say Hava bugün nemli without changing the meaning. Just keep nemli at the end.
How do I ask “Is the weather humid today?” in Turkish?
Add the question particle mi after the adjective (with a space and no suffix):
Bugün hava nemli mi?
Make sure mi agrees with the preceding vowel (here “i”) but remains a separate word.
How do I say “The weather is not humid today”?
Use değil to negate a nominal sentence or adjective:
Bugün hava nemli değil.
How do I express that it was humid yesterday?
Use the past-tense ending for the copula, -ydi, attached to nemli (with a linking y because nemli ends in a vowel):
Dün hava nemliydi.
What case is hava in? Why doesn’t it have a suffix?
hava is the subject of a nominal sentence and is in the nominative case, which in Turkish is unmarked (no suffix).
What does hava literally mean, “air” or “weather”?
hava can mean both air and weather. In meteorological contexts like this, it means weather.
How is the letter ü pronounced in Bugün?
ü is a close front rounded vowel, similar to the German ü or the French u in “tu.” Round your lips while saying an “ee” sound.
What’s the difference between saying nemli hava and hava nemli?
nemli hava is a noun phrase meaning “humid air”.
hava nemli is a complete sentence (a nominal sentence) meaning “the weather (or air) is humid.”