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Questions & Answers about Bu karar adil.
Where is the verb “is” in Turkish? Why isn’t there one here?
Turkish often drops the verb “to be” in the present tense for third person. So Bu karar adil literally says “This decision fair,” with the “is” understood. For 1st/2nd person you add personal endings: Ben adilim (I am fair), Sen adilsin (You are fair), O adil (He/She/It is fair).
Can I also say “Bu karar adildir”?
Yes. -DIr is an optional copular suffix. Bu karar adildir is more formal or assertive, and can sound like a firm judgment or general statement. Without it (Bu karar adil) is the neutral everyday form.
How do I add that -dır ending correctly?
- It harmonizes: -dır/-dir/-dur/-dür (after a, ı → -dır; e, i → -dir; o, u → -dur; ö, ü → -dür). With adil you get adildir.
- In yes–no questions, -dır attaches to the question particle: mi + dir → midir. So: Bu karar adil midir? (not “adildir mi?”).
How do I turn it into a yes–no question?
Use the separate question particle mi/mı/mü/mu after the predicate:
- Neutral: Bu karar adil mi?
- More formal/assertive: Bu karar adil midir?
How do I say it’s not fair?
Use değil:
- Neutral: Bu karar adil değil.
- Formal/stronger: Bu karar adil değildir.
- Question: Bu karar adil değil mi? / Bu karar adil değil midir?
What’s the difference between “Bu karar adil” and “Bu adil karar”?
- Bu karar adil = This is a full sentence: “This decision is fair.” (adil is the predicate).
- Bu adil karar = This is a noun phrase: “this fair decision” (adil modifies karar).
Why isn’t there “the/a” before “decision”? Should I use “bir”?
Turkish has no articles like “the/a.” Bu already means “this,” so Bu karar is definite. Using bir makes it “a/one,” but indefinite subjects are uncommon in Turkish. Instead of “Bir karar adil” (unnatural), you’d usually say the phrase adil bir karar (“a fair decision”).
Could I say “Adil bu karar”? Does word order matter?
Default information structure puts the predicate last, so Bu karar adil is the neutral order. Adil bu karar is possible only for special focus/emphasis (e.g., contrasting with other decisions) and sounds marked.
Shouldn’t it be “kararı” because it’s specific?
No. -ı/-i/-u/-ü is the accusative case for definite direct objects. Here karar is the subject, so it stays bare. Examples:
- Subject: Bu karar adil.
- Definite object: Bu kararı adil buluyorum. (“I find this decision fair.”)
Do adjectives agree in number or gender?
No gender in Turkish, and predicate adjectives don’t pluralize:
- Bu kararlar adil. (“These decisions are fair.”) not “adiller” in standard usage for non-humans.
- With human plural subjects, a plural marker on the predicate is optional: Onlar adil(ler).
How do I say it with different persons?
- Ben adilim. (I am fair.)
- Sen adilsin. (You are fair.)
- O adil. (He/She/It is fair.)
- Biz adiliz. (We are fair.)
- Siz adilsiniz. (You [pl/formal] are fair.)
- Onlar adil(ler). (They are fair.) The -ler is optional, common with humans.
How do I express past, reported, or future with this kind of sentence?
- Simple past: Bu karar adildi. (or spaced: adil idi)
- Reported/inferential: Bu karar adilmiş.
- Future/going to be: use “olmak” → Bu karar adil olacak.
- Necessity/supposition: Bu karar adil olmalı.
How is it pronounced?
- Bu: “boo”
- karar: stress on last syllable, ka-RAR; r is a tap/trill
- adil: a-DIL (last-syllable stress); dotted i is like English “ee”
- With -dir: adildir = a-DIL-dir
Are there good synonyms for “adil”?
Yes: adaletli, hakkaniyetli, yerinde (contextual, “appropriate”), eşitlikçi (equality-minded, in some contexts). Adil is the most common for “fair/just.”
When would I use “bu, şu, o” here?
- bu karar = this decision (near the speaker)
- şu karar = that decision (near the listener or pointed out)
- o karar = that decision (far from both or previously mentioned)
Can I soften or hedge the statement?
Yes, add stance markers:
- Bence bu karar adil. (In my opinion…)
- Bu karar oldukça/gayet adil. (quite/very fair)
- Bu karar pek adil sayılmaz. (not exactly fair)
- Negative hedge: Bu karar çok adil değil. (not very fair)