Learn Hardcore Turkish: Sabah balkonda derin nefes almak çok güzel. - Taking a deep breath on the balcony in the morning is very nice.

Vowel harmony: after back vowels (a ı o u) it’s -da; after front vowels (e i ö ü) it’s -de. Balkon has back vowel o, so balkon+da.
Consonant voicing: the initial d becomes t after a voiceless consonant (p ç t k f s ş h). Balkon ends with n (voiced), so it stays -da, not -ta.

Why does sabah mean “in the morning” with no preposition or case ending?

Time-of-day words (like sabah, akşam, gece) commonly function as adverbs without any suffix, so sabah = “in the morning.” You can also use:

sabahleyin = in the morning (on/that morning; a bit more formal/literary)
sabahları = in the mornings (habitual, every morning)

What’s the difference between derin nefes almak and derin bir nefes almak?

derin nefes almak usually means “to breathe deeply” or “to take deep breaths” in a general/habitual sense.
derin bir nefes almak points to one “deep breath” (a single, countable act).
Both are natural; choose based on whether you mean one breath or the manner of breathing.

Does nefes almak mean “to breathe” or “to take a breath”?

Both, depending on context. Nefes almak is the standard idiom for breathing in general and for taking a (deep) breath. Although almak literally means “to take,” with nefes it forms a set phrase meaning “to breathe.” A common synonym is soluk almak.

Why is there no explicit “to be” verb before çok güzel? Could I say güzeldir?

Turkish often omits the present copula in simple “X is Y” sentences. So … çok güzel already means “is very nice.” Adding -dir (güzeldir) is possible and more formal or emphatic, often used for general truths or stylistic polish.

When should I use -mak/-mek versus -ma/-me to turn a verb into a noun? How does that affect this sentence?

-mak/-mek (infinitive) works well for generic statements: Derin nefes almak çok güzel.
-ma/-me forms a verbal noun: Derin nefes alma ≈ “deep breathing” (as an activity). This can also be a subject: Derin nefes alma çok güzel.
To specify whose action, -ma/-me usually takes a possessor: Onun derin nefes alması çok güzel. (“His/Her taking deep breaths is very nice.”)
All are grammatical; choose based on whether you want a generic “to do X,” the activity “X-ing,” or someone’s specific doing of X.

Is the word order Sabah balkonda derin nefes almak fixed? Can I move things around?

Turkish prefers adverbials early, with a neutral order Time > Place > (Manner) > [Subject/Verb]. Sabah balkonda … is very natural. You can move elements for emphasis (e.g., Balkonda sabah …) but the given order is the default and sounds smooth.

How does sabahları change the meaning compared to sabah?

Sabah is “in the morning” (often context-specific or neutral). Sabahları means “in the mornings” (habitual, recurring).
So: Sabah balkonda … = this/that morning or in general;
Sabahları balkonda … = as a routine, on most mornings.

What’s the nuance of saying … çok güzel olur or … çok güzel oluyor instead of … çok güzel?

… çok güzel = a simple evaluative statement (“is very nice”).
… çok güzel olur = “it would be/it is (generally) very nice” (suggestion or general outcome).
… çok güzel oluyor = “it turns out/it’s been (habitually) very nice” (vivid, experiential, often used for repeated experience).

Do I need bir before nefes here?

Only if you want to highlight a single breath: derin bir nefes almak = “to take a deep breath (one).” Without bir, derin nefes almak sounds like “to breathe deeply / to take deep breaths” more generally.

Why isn’t nefes marked with the accusative (-i) in nefes almak?

Indefinite direct objects in Turkish are typically unmarked, and nefes almak is a fixed expression. Adding the accusative (nefesi) would imply a specific, definite breath and doesn’t fit this idiom in normal usage.

How can I express “several deep breaths” naturally?

Use one of:

birkaç derin nefes almak = to take a few deep breaths
iki üç derin nefes almak = to take two or three deep breaths
For repeated deep breathing as a manner: derin derin nefes almak

Are there synonyms or alternative phrasings for this idea?

Yes:

soluk almak for “breathe” (more colloquial/regional in feel)
derin derin nefes almak for “to breathe deeply (repeatedly)”
derinden nefes almak also occurs and feels natural
For the predicate, alternatives to çok güzel include çok hoş, çok keyifli, harika

Can I use derince to mean “deeply” (derince nefes almak)?

You can hear derince, but it often means “rather deep/pretty deep” and can sound stylistically marked. For “deeply,” the most natural choices are derin derin or simply derin (bir) nefes almak. Derinden nefes almak is also idiomatic.

Does balkonda mean “on my balcony”? How would I say that?

Balkonda is just “on the balcony,” with the specific balcony understood from context. To say “on my balcony,” use a possessive: balkonumda. Other examples: balkonunda (on your/his/her balcony), balkonumuzda (on our balcony).

Is çok the only intensifier? What about gayet, pek, etc.?

çok güzel = very nice (neutral, common)
gayet güzel = quite/very nice (a touch more formal/emphatic)
pek güzel is mostly used in negative polarity (pek güzel değil = not very nice). In affirmative, pek güzel is rarer/more literary.

Should there be any commas in the sentence?

No. Short, simple adverbials like Sabah and balkonda don’t take commas here. Sabah balkonda derin nefes almak çok güzel. is correctly punctuated as-is.

Any tips on pronunciation/stress for this sentence?

Turkish typically stresses the last syllable of each word:

sa-BAH bal-kon-DA de-RİN ne-FES al-MAK çok gü-ZEL
Keep vowels pure and short; the ç in çok is “ch” as in “church,” and ğ doesn’t appear here, so nothing tricky there.