Learn Hardcore Turkish: Saat on birde toplantı başlayacak. - The meeting will start at eleven o'clock.

Saat: “o’clock/hour”; introduces a time expression.
on bir-de: on bir “eleven” + locative suffix -de “at” → “at eleven.”
toplantı: “meeting” (subject).
başla-y-acak: verb “to start” with future:
- stem başla- “start”
- buffer -y- (to link two vowels)
- future -acak (chosen by vowel harmony)
- 3rd person singular has no extra personal ending → “will start.”

How is on birde formed, and why is it -de (not -da/te/ta)?

It’s the locative suffix -DA meaning “at/in/on.”
Vowel harmony: last vowel in bir is front (i), so use front-vowel -de (not -da).
Consonant voicing: r is voiced, so keep d (not t).
Result: on bir + de → on birde “at eleven.”

Do I have to include saat?

No. Saat is optional. Both are fine:

Saat on birde toplantı başlayacak.
On birde toplantı başlayacak. Including saat makes it explicitly clear you’re talking about clock time.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Turkish word order is flexible. Common options:

Saat on birde toplantı başlayacak. (time first; neutral)
Toplantı saat on birde başlayacak. (topic/subject first) Avoid placing the time after the verb in neutral statements.

Where is “will” expressed?

In the future suffix -ecek/-acak on the verb:

başla-y-acak → “will start.” Because the subject is third person singular (toplantı), there’s no personal ending added.

Why is there no article like “the” or “a”?

Turkish has no articles. Toplantı can mean “the meeting” or “a meeting,” depending on context. If you need to force “a,” use bir toplantı; for “the,” context or prior mention usually suffices.

How would this change with other hours?

üçte (at three) — voiceless ç → -te
dörtte (at four) — ends with voiceless t → -te
altıda (at six) — last vowel back (ı) → -da
yedi’de / 7’de (at seven) — spelled-out: yedide; with digits: 7’de (apostrophe after digits)

How do I write it if I use digits?

Attach the suffix to the number with an apostrophe:

11’de toplantı başlayacak. When written out in words, no apostrophe:
on birde toplantı başlayacak.

How do I say A.M./P.M. or use 24-hour time?

Add part of day: sabah on birde (11 a.m.), akşam on birde (11 p.m.).
Or use 24-hour time with digits: 23’te (at 23:00).

How do I express 11:30, 11:15, or 10:45?

Two common ways:

With digits:
- 11.30’da, 11.15’te, 10.45’te
With words:
- on bir buçukta (11:30)
- on biri çeyrek geçe (11:15; “a quarter past eleven”)
- on bire çeyrek kala (10:45; “a quarter to eleven”)

Can I use a different tense for schedules?

Yes:

Future (neutral plan): Toplantı saat on birde başlayacak.
Present continuous (arranged/scheduled): Toplantı saat on birde başlıyor.
Aorist for timetables/habits: Toplantı saat on birde başlar.

How do I make it negative or a question?

Negative: Toplantı saat on birde başlamayacak. (başla-ma-y-acak)
Yes/no question: place mi after the focused part:
- Toplantı saat on birde başlayacak mı?
- Saat on birde mi toplantı başlayacak? (questions the time)

What about plural “meetings”?

Both are heard; the verb can stay singular or agree:

Toplantılar saat on birde başlayacak.
Toplantılar saat on birde başlayacaklar. (explicit agreement/emphasis on plurality)

Is -de here the same as the separate word de/da meaning “also”?

No.

Suffix -de/-da/-te/-ta attaches to a word: on birde (“at eleven”).
The particle de/da is separate and means “also/too”: Toplantı da saat on birde. Spelling and spacing distinguish them.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

ı in toplantı is a back, unrounded vowel (like the second vowel in “roses” in many accents).
ş = “sh”; ç = “ch.”
başlayacak is syllabified baş-la-ya-cak; the -y- is a glide linking vowels.
Primary stress typically falls on the last syllable of başlayacak.