Çatal masada.

The fork is on the table.

Breakdown of Çatal masada.

• olmak: to be
• masa: the table
• -da: on
• çatal: the fork

Questions & Answers about Çatal masada.

Where is the verb “is”? There’s no verb in Çatal masada.

Turkish often omits “to be” in the present. Nominal sentences use a “zero copula,” so Çatal masada literally means “Fork on-the-table,” i.e., “The fork is on the table.” You can optionally add the copular suffix for formality or emphasis: Çatal masadadır. For past, you show it with a suffix: Çatal masadaydı (was on the table).

Why is masada one word and not masa da?

Because -da here is the locative case suffix meaning “at/in/on,” and all case suffixes are attached to the noun: masa + -DA → masada.
Written separately, da/de means “too/also”: masa da = “the table too/as well.” Note: the “too/also” particle is always spelled separately and appears only as da/de (never ta/te).

Why is it -da and not -de/-ta/-te?

The locative is the suffix -DA, which changes by:

• Vowel harmony (a/e): last vowel a, ı, o, u → -da; last vowel e, i, ö, ü → -de.
• Consonant voicing (d/t): after a voiceless consonant (ç, f, h, k, p, s, ş, t) → -ta/te; otherwise -da/de.

Examples:

• masa → masada (ends in a vowel, last vowel a → -da)
• şehir → şehirde
• park → parkta

Does -da mean “on,” “in,” or “at”?

All of those, depending on the noun and context. The locative -DA generally means “at/in/on”:

• evde = at home/in the house
• okulda = at school
• masada usually reads as “on the table” (or “at the table” in a dining context)

When should I say masanın üstünde/üzerinde instead of masada?

Use masanın üstünde/üzerinde to be explicit about “on top of the table.”

• masada is often enough (people will assume “on” for a table).
• üstünde/üzerinde adds precision or contrast (e.g., not “under” or “in” it).
• üstünde is more colloquial; üzerinde is a bit more formal.
  Example: Çatal masanın üstünde = “The fork is on top of the table.”

When should I use var?

Use var for existence with an indefinite subject:

• “There is a fork on the table.” → Masada bir çatal var.
  Use the simple nominal sentence for a known/specific item:
• “The fork is on the table.” → Çatal masada.
  Without var, Masada çatal sounds like a fragment, not a full sentence.

Can I add bir in this sentence to say “a fork”?

Not in this structure. Bir çatal masada is odd. For “a fork is on the table,” use the existential: Masada bir çatal var.
Remember, Turkish has no articles; Çatal masada will typically be understood as “the fork is on the table” from context.

How do I ask “Is the fork on the table?”

Use the question particle attached to the predicate:

• Çatal masada mı?
  The particle harmonizes: mi/mı/mü/mu. Answers:
• Evet, masada. / Hayır, masada değil.

How do I say “The fork is not on the table”?

Use değil to negate a nominal predicate:

• Çatal masada değil.
  For existential negation (“There isn’t a fork on the table”):
• Masada çatal yok.

Can I change the word order? What about Masada çatal?

Word order is flexible for topic/focus, but grammar matters:

• Çatal masada = neutral way to locate a known fork.
• Masada çatal var = “There is a fork on the table” (existential, indefinite).
• Masada çatal by itself is just a fragment (like “On the table, a fork…”). In casual speech it can occur as an elliptical answer, but it’s not a full sentence without var.

Is Çatal masadadır correct? Does it sound different?

Yes. Çatal masadadır is correct and more formal/emphatic/certain. In everyday speech, Çatal masada is the norm. The -dır/dir/dur/dür copular suffix often signals formality, general truth, or emphasis.

How do I pronounce it?

• Ç as in English “ch” (chair).
• All a’s like the “a” in “father.”
• Stress is typically on the last syllable of each word: cha-TAL ma-sa-DA.
  So: “cha-TAL ma-sa-DA.”

How do I say it in the plural?

• “The forks are on the table.” → Çatallar masada.
  Do not say Çatallar masadalar; the predicate doesn’t take plural here. You might see -lar on the predicate with human subjects and certain emphatic uses (e.g., Onlar masadalar), but not with inanimates like çatallar.