Learn Hardcore Turkish: Toplantı salonu çok sessizdi, herkes not aldı. - The meeting room was very quiet; everyone took notes.

It’s the past-tense copula idi (“was”) attached to the predicate adjective. In Turkish, the past of “to be” is usually written as a suffix-like form on the predicate:

consonant-final predicate: drop the initial i- of idi → sessiz + di = sessizdi
vowel-final predicate: insert a buffer y → hasta + ydı = hastaydı

Why is it sessizdi (with -di) and not sessizdı/sessizdu/sessizdü?

Vowel harmony: the last vowel of sessiz is front and unrounded (i), so the copular past picks the front-unrounded variant -di. Hence sessizdi.

Why is it sessizdi and not sessizti?

Consonant voicing: after a voiced consonant (like z), the copular consonant stays voiced (d). After a voiceless consonant (p, ç, t, k, s, ş, f, h), it devoices to t (e.g., soğuktu, sertti). Since z is voiced, we get sessizdi.

Is herkes grammatically singular or plural? Why is the verb aldı (not aldılar)?

Herkes (“everyone”) is grammatically third-person singular in Turkish, so the verb is singular: aldı. Using a plural verb (e.g., Herkes not aldılar) is nonstandard in formal Turkish, though you may hear it colloquially in some regions.

Why doesn’t not take the accusative suffix? Why not notu aldı?

Direct objects in Turkish take accusative only when they are specific/definite. Bare not here is an indefinite object (“notes” in general), so no accusative. Notu aldı would mean “(he/she) took the note” (a specific note).

Can I say notlar aldı to mean “(they) took lots of notes”?

You can, but it’s less idiomatic. More natural options:

bir sürü not aldı
çok not aldı (context disambiguates “notes” vs “grades”)
or use the common collocation not tuttu (“took notes”). If you really want plural, notlar aldı is possible, just less typical in this collocation.

What’s the difference between not almak and not tutmak?

Both can mean “to take notes.” Not tutmak is the go-to idiom for note-taking. Not almak is also very common, but it can also mean “to receive a grade/mark,” depending on context.

What kind of noun phrase is Toplantı salonu, and why does salonu end with -u?

It’s an indefinite noun compound (belirtisiz isim tamlaması): N₁ + N₂(+3rd person possessive). The second noun takes 3rd person possessive:

toplantı
- salon(u) → “meeting room” That -u is the possessive marker required by this compound pattern.

Could we say Toplantının salonu instead? Would the meaning change?

Yes. Toplantının salonu is a definite/possessive construction (“the meeting’s room,” tied to a particular meeting). Toplantı salonu is generic (“a meeting room/the meeting room” as a type).

Is the comma between the two clauses okay in Turkish?

Yes. Turkish often allows asyndetic coordination with a comma. Many style guides prefer a semicolon (;) or a conjunction (ve) for clarity:

Toplantı salonu çok sessizdi; herkes not aldı.
Toplantı salonu çok sessizdi ve herkes not aldı.

Does the comma imply cause and effect between the clauses?

Not inherently. It simply juxtaposes two statements. If you want explicit causality, use a linker:

cause: Herkes not aldığı için toplantı salonu çok sessizdi.
result: Toplantı salonu çok sessizdi, bu yüzden herkes not aldı.

Can çok modify sessiz like this? Any alternatives?

Yes. Çok commonly intensifies adjectives: çok sessizdi (“was very quiet”). Alternatives include gayet, oldukça, epey, aşırı, fazlasıyla:

gayet sessizdi, oldukça sessizdi, etc.

How do I negate each clause correctly?

Copular clause: Toplantı salonu çok sessiz değildi. (değil + past → değildi)
Verb clause: Herkes not almadı. Note: this means “Not everyone took notes.” To say “Nobody took notes,” use Kimse not almadı.

How is the dotless ı pronounced in Toplantı?

Turkish ı is a close back unrounded vowel, somewhat like the relaxed ‘uh’ in English but higher: tı in Toplantı is not like English “tee.” Also, ç (in çok) is like English “ch.”

Is the word order fixed? Could I reverse the clauses?

Word order is flexible. You can say:

Herkes not aldı, toplantı salonu çok sessizdi. This version foregrounds the note-taking first. The meaning remains the same; only discourse focus changes.

Why is not singular even though many people took notes?

In Turkish, an indefinite direct object often appears in the bare singular to express a general/unspecified quantity (e.g., gazete okudu = “read newspapers”). Plural is optional and less common with this collocation; quantity is understood from context.

How would I say “everyone was taking notes” (ongoing action in the past)?

Use the past progressive:

Herkes not alıyordu. You can mix it with the first clause as needed:
Toplantı salonu çok sessizdi, herkes not alıyordu.

Is herkes the only way to say “all”? How about “all of us/them”?

herkes = everyone (always takes singular verb)
hepimiz = all of us
hepiniz = all of you
hepsi = all of them Examples: Hepimiz not aldık. / Hepsi not aldı.