Learn Hardcore Turkish: Dün akşam fazla mesai yaptık; rapor sabaha hazırdı. - We worked overtime last night; the report was ready by morning.

It’s a set phrase meaning “we worked overtime.” Literally: fazla = extra/too much, mesai = working hours/shift, yapmak = to do/make. In Turkish, overtime is typically expressed with the light-verb construction fazla mesai yapmak. A common alternative is fazla mesaiye kalmak (“to stay for overtime”).

Why is there no biz (“we”) in the sentence?

Turkish is pro‑drop: subject pronouns are normally omitted because the verb ending shows the person/number. In yaptık, the ending -k already means “we,” so biz is unnecessary unless you want to emphasize “we (as opposed to others).”

How is yaptık formed?

Root: yap- (do/make)
Past tense: -DI (appears as -tı here due to voiceless consonant assimilation and vowel harmony)
1st person plural: -k
Result: yap-
- -tı
  - -k → yaptık (“we did” / “we worked” in this context).

Why doesn’t fazla mesai take the accusative suffix (-yi)?

Indefinite direct objects in Turkish are left bare (no accusative). Also, fazla mesai yapmak is a fixed light‑verb expression; adding accusative (fazla mesaiyi) would sound odd here unless you were talking about some highly specific, already defined overtime stint (which is rare).

Could I say fazla çalıştık instead of fazla mesai yaptık?

It changes the meaning. Fazla çalıştık means “we worked too much/a lot,” not specifically “overtime.” Fazla mesai yaptık specifically refers to working beyond normal hours (overtime).

What does the semicolon do, and can I replace it?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses: the overtime and its outcome. You could replace it with a period or add a connector: … yaptık. Bu yüzden/sonunda rapor sabaha hazırdı. A comma alone would be less standard in careful writing.

Why is it sabaha (dative -a)? What does that mean with time words?

The dative (-a/-e) on time words often marks a target point or deadline: “by/for (a time).” So sabaha means “by (the) morning” or “for the morning.” Compare: Pazartesiye hazır olacak (“It will be ready by Monday”).

Is sabaha kadar different from just sabaha?

Yes.

sabaha = by/for morning (deadline/goal).
sabaha kadar = until morning (continuity up to that point).
In your sentence, sabaha hazırdı says it was in a ready state by morning. Sabaha kadar hazırdı would emphasize that it remained ready up to morning (slightly different nuance).

Could I say sabah hazırdı instead of sabaha hazırdı?

Sabah hazırdı means “it was ready in the morning” (a time when it was ready). Sabaha hazırdı highlights the deadline/target (“it was ready by/for the morning”). Both can fit English “by morning,” but sabaha encodes the deadline more explicitly.

How does hazırdı express “was”? Where is “to be”?

Turkish doesn’t use a separate verb “to be” in the past; instead it adds the past copular suffix -(y)DI to the predicate. hazır (ready) + -dı = hazırdı (“was ready”). In the present, you’d say Rapor hazır (3sg has zero copula), or Ben hazırım (1sg copula -ım).

Why is there no buffer y in hazırdı, while I sometimes see forms like iyiydi?

The buffer y appears when the predicate ends in a vowel: iyi + y + di → iyiydi. Hazır ends in a consonant, so you attach -dı directly: hazırdı.

Can I say rapor sabaha hazır oldu instead of hazırdı?

Yes, but the nuance changes. Hazır oldu (“became ready”) focuses on the change of state/completion. Hazırdı states the result/state at that reference time (by morning, it was ready). Example contrast: Gece üçte rapor hazır oldu vs Sabaha rapor hazırdı.

Is the word order fixed?

Flexible, but defaults are common. Time expressions often come first, and Turkish is generally SOV in verbal clauses. You could say Biz dün akşam fazla mesai yaptık; sabaha rapor hazırdı or Rapor sabaha hazırdı; dün akşam fazla mesai yaptık, adjusting focus/emphasis.

Why is there no article before rapor? How do I know it’s “the report”?

Turkish has no articles like “a/the.” Bare nouns can be definite or indefinite depending on context. If a specific report is understood, rapor will be read as “the report.” To force “a report,” you can say bir rapor; to force specificity, use demonstratives (bu/şu/o rapor).

If the subject is plural, do I need plural on the predicate, e.g., Raporlar sabaha hazırdılar?

With predicate adjectives, Turkish usually leaves the predicate singular: Raporlar sabaha hazırdı is the most natural. Hazırdılar is grammatical and sometimes used for emphasis, but it’s less common with adjectives.

Is there any nuance between dün akşam and dün gece?

Yes. Dün akşam refers to last evening (roughly early evening to late evening). Dün gece refers to last night (late night/after dark). English “last night” can map to either depending on how late it was.