Learn Hardcore Turkish: Postacı kadın az önce geldi, mektubu teslim etti. - The female mail carrier just came and delivered the letter.

Subject: postacı kadın is understood as definite from context; no article is needed.
Object: mektubu has the accusative -u, which marks it as definite/specific (“the letter”). If the object were non‑specific, you’d use mektup (no -u) or bir mektup (“a letter”).

Why does mektup become mektubu?

It’s the accusative case (-ı/i/u/ü) marking a specific object. With vowel harmony, mektup takes -u → mektubu. Also, the final p softens to b when a vowel-initial suffix is added: mektup + u → mektubu. This softening happens with many words (e.g., kitap → kitabı, ağaç → ağacı).

Is postacı kadın the same as kadın postacı? Which is more natural?

Both are possible:

kadın postacı: more common as “female postie/postwoman,” with the profession as the head noun.
postacı kadın: “the woman who is a postwoman,” a bit more descriptive or literary; it treats “woman” as the head and “postacı” as a modifier. In casual speech, kadın postacı is generally preferred.

Why is there a comma between the clauses instead of ve (“and”)?

Turkish often links closely related clauses with a comma and no conjunction. You could also say:

… geldi ve mektubu teslim etti. (perfectly fine)
… gelip mektubu teslim etti. (using -ip to chain actions with the same subject)

Can I say Az önce postacı kadın geldi or move az önce around?

Yes. Time adverbs are flexible:

Az önce postacı kadın geldi, mektubu teslim etti.
Postacı kadın az önce geldi, mektubu teslim etti.
Postacı kadın geldi az önce… (less neutral; can sound emphatic) Positioning affects emphasis/focus rather than grammaticality.

What’s the difference between az önce, biraz önce, and demin?

All mean “a short time ago,” with slight nuance:

az önce: “just now,” very recent.
biraz önce: “a little earlier,” possibly a bit less immediate.
demin: colloquial “a moment ago.” All work here.

Can I use henüz instead of az önce?

Not in the affirmative. henüz typically pairs with negation to mean “not yet”: Henüz gelmedi (“He/She hasn’t come yet”). In affirmative sentences, henüz usually means “still,” not “just now.”

Why is it teslim etti (two words)? What kind of verb is that?

It’s a light-verb construction: a noun + etmek. Here, teslim etmek = “to deliver/hand over.” You conjugate etmek, not the noun:

teslim etti (he/she delivered)
teslim ediyor (is delivering)
teslim edecek (will deliver)

Why is it spelled etti and not etdi?

Past tense is -DI, but after a voiceless consonant (like t), it surfaces as -TI. Then et- + -ti combines to etti (tt). Same pattern: git- + -ti → gitti.

Could I just say verdi instead of teslim etti?

Sometimes, yes:

verdi = “gave,” general and informal.
teslim etti = “delivered/handed over,” more formal/transactional, often implying a duty. In a postal context, teslim etti is the precise choice.

Why isn’t the subject pronoun o used?

Turkish is pro-drop: subject pronouns are omitted because the verb ending shows person/number. After the first clause sets the subject (postacı kadın), the second clause omits it: mektubu teslim etti (“[she] delivered the letter”). Adding o would sound emphatic or contrastive.

Can I make it one chained action with -ip?

Yes: Postacı kadın az önce gelip mektubu teslim etti. The -ip form links sequential actions with the same subject. It often reads as a tighter sequence than using ve.

How would I turn this into a yes/no question?

Use the question particle mi/mi̇/ mı/mü as a separate word:

Postacı kadın az önce geldi mi?
Mektubu teslim etti mi? For both, ask as two questions, or: Az önce postacı kadın gelip mektubu teslim etti mi?

What’s the morphological breakdown of the key words?

postacı = posta (post) + -cı (agent suffix with vowel harmony) → “postie/postman”
geldi = gel- (come) + -di (past) → “came”
mektubu = mektup (letter) + -u (accusative; p→b softening) → “the letter (as object)”
teslim etti = teslim (delivery/handing over) + et- (do) + -ti (past) → “delivered”

Why is the object marked but the subject isn’t?

Subjects aren’t case-marked for definiteness in Turkish. Specific direct objects take the accusative:

Definite: mektubu teslim etti (“delivered the letter”)
Indefinite: mektup teslim etti or bir mektup teslim etti (“delivered a letter”)

Can I front the object for emphasis, like Mektubu teslim etti?

Yes. Turkish word order is flexible for information structure. Mektubu teslim etti puts focus on the object (“It was the letter that she delivered”). Neutral order is object right before the verb.

Can I add an indirect object like “to me”?

Yes, use the dative (-a/e):

Mektubu bana teslim etti. (“[She] delivered the letter to me.”) Common orders: Bana mektubu teslim etti or Mektubu bana teslim etti, depending on what you want to emphasize.

Could I drop kadın and just say Postacı az önce geldi…?

Absolutely. postacı is gender-neutral in Turkish. kadın is only added if you specifically want to mention the postie is a woman.

Is Postacı kadın az önce geldi; mektubu teslim etti. with a semicolon okay?

Yes. A semicolon is also acceptable to separate two closely related independent clauses. Comma, semicolon, or ve are all fine stylistic choices here.

Can I use past reported tense (-miş) here?

If you didn’t witness it and are reporting/infering, yes:

Postacı kadın az önce gelmiş, mektubu teslim etmiş. (“Apparently, the postwoman just came and delivered the letter.”) For a narrative anchored in the past, you might see gelmişti/etmişti (“had come/had delivered”).