Learn Hardcore Turkish: Damacana boş. - The water bottle is empty.

In Turkey, a damacana is a large, reusable water jug/bottle (often 19 liters/5 gallons) used with water dispensers. It’s not a small bottle (şişe) or a canister (bidon); it’s the big office/home water jug. As a product type you’ll also hear damacana suyu (“water sold in demijohns”).

Why is there no word for “is” in Damacana boş.?

Turkish has no separate verb “to be” in the simple present for third person. Adjectives (and nouns) can act as predicates directly. So Damacana boş. literally “Jug empty.” means “The jug is empty.”

Can I say Damacana boştur.? What’s the difference?

Yes. The suffix -dır/-dir/-dur/-dür (here: boştur) adds formality, emphasis, or a general/definitional tone. Everyday speech typically uses boş with no suffix. Damacana boştur. can sound more categorical or bookish.

How do I ask “Is the jug empty?” in Turkish?

Use the question particle with vowel harmony: Damacana boş mu? The particle is written separately and changes as mı/mi/mu/mü based on the last vowel of the preceding word.

How do I negate it?

Use değil for predicate adjectives: Damacana boş değil. For a more formal tone: Damacana boş değildir.

What’s the difference between Damacana boş. and Damacanada su yok.?

Damacana boş. = focuses on the container’s state (“The jug is empty”).
Damacanada su yok. = existential statement (“There is no water in the jug”).
They usually imply the same situation; the second explicitly mentions water.

What’s the difference between Boş damacana and Damacana boş?

Boş damacana = “an empty jug” (adjective modifies a noun).
Damacana boş. = “The jug is empty” (predicate adjective; a complete sentence).

Do I need “the” or “a”? Turkish has no articles—how do I show that?

Turkish has no articles. Damacana can be “the jug” or “a jug,” depending on context. If you really need to say “a jug,” you can use bir: Bir damacana boş. (“A jug is empty.”)

How do I make it plural: “The jugs are empty”?

Use the plural suffix on the noun: Damacanalar boş. You don’t add anything to the adjective; boş stays the same. Formal style: Damacanalar boştur. Avoid boşturlar for inanimate things.

How do numbers work with this noun? “Two jugs are empty.”

After numerals, don’t add the plural suffix: İki damacana boş. (not “iki damacanalar”).

How do I say “My jug is empty,” “Your jug is empty,” etc.?

Add possessive endings to the noun:

Damacanam boş. (my jug)
Damacanan boş. (your jug, singular)
Damacanası boş. (his/her jug)
Damacanamız boş. (our jug)
Damacananız boş. (your jug, plural/formal)
Damacanaları boş. (their jug)

Can I drop the subject if it’s obvious and just say “Empty”?

Yes. If both speakers know you’re talking about the jug, just saying Boş. (“It’s empty.”) is natural in conversation.

How do I pronounce damacana and boş?

damacana: da-ma-JA-na; IPA roughly [da.maˈdʒa.na] (stress commonly on the “ca” syllable). Turkish c sounds like English “j” in “jam.”
boş: like “bosh” but with a pure short “o” and “sh”; IPA [boʃ]. The letter ş is “sh.”

How do I express different tenses: “was empty,” “will be empty,” “is becoming empty”?

Past: Damacana boştu. (“was empty”)
Future: Damacana boş olacak. (“will be empty”)
Becoming empty: use a verb: Damacana boşalıyor. (“is emptying/becoming empty”)

What verbs go with this idea—“to empty” something vs “to become empty”?

boşalmak = to become empty (intransitive): Damacana boşaldı.
boşaltmak = to empty (transitive): Damacanayı boşalttım.

How do I say “If the jug is empty, order water”?

Use the conditional -sa/-se: Damacana boşsa, su sipariş et.
(You can also say sipariş ver.)

How can I intensify it: “completely empty,” “totally empty”?

Damacana tamamen boş.
Damacana bomboş. (set intensifier; written as one word)
For result of a process: Damacana iyice boşalmış. (“has emptied out completely”)

When should I use case endings with damacana?

Common ones:

Locative (in/on/at): damacanada (in the jug): Damacanada su yok.
Dative (to/into): damacanaya: Suyu damacanaya dök.
Ablative (from/out of): damacanadan: Suyu damacanadan boşalttık.
Accusative (definite object): damacanayı: Damacanayı taşıdım.
You can also form adjectives with -ki: damacanadaki su (“the water in the jug”).

Does boş ever mean something else, like “free” or “idle”?

Yes. boş can mean “empty,” but also “idle/free” (time/seat), or “meaningless”:

Boş zaman (free time), boş koltuk (empty seat), boş konuşma! (“Don’t talk nonsense!”).
Note boşta specifically means “idle/without engagement” (e.g., boşta kaldı = “was left without a job/idle”).