Learn Hardcore Turkish: Otobüs gecikmiş. - Apparently, the bus is delayed.

The suffix -miş is the evidential/indirect past. It signals that the speaker learned the information indirectly (hearsay) or inferred it from evidence. So Otobüs gecikmiş means “The bus is (apparently) delayed / has been delayed,” with a nuance of “it seems” or “I heard.”

How is gecikmiş different from gecikti?

gecikti (simple past) = “it was delayed/it got delayed,” and you present it as a known fact (you witnessed it or are stating it directly).
gecikmiş (evidential past) = “it’s apparently/it seems it was delayed,” suggesting you found out or inferred it.

Can gecikmiş also mean “it seems/appears to be delayed”?

Yes. The evidential -miş often maps to English “apparently/seemingly.” You can read Otobüs gecikmiş as “It seems the bus is delayed.”

Is gecikmiş a verb or an adjective here?

Here it’s a finite verb form (predicate) in the evidential past: gecik- + -miş. In other contexts, gecikmiş can be a participle meaning “delayed,” as in gecikmiş otobüs (“the delayed bus”).

Where is the “to be” verb in this sentence?

Turkish doesn’t use a separate “to be” in the present for third person; the verb morphology carries the meaning. In third-person singular, the ending is zero, so Otobüs gecikmiş is a complete sentence without an extra copula.

Why is there no personal ending on gecikmiş?

Third-person singular predicates typically have no overt personal ending. Other persons do:

gecikmişim (I have apparently been delayed)
gecikmişsin (you have apparently been delayed)
gecikmişiz/gecikmişsiniz (we/you-pl)

How do I make it negative or a yes/no question?

Negative: Otobüs gecikmemiş. (“Apparently the bus wasn’t delayed.”)
Question: Otobüs gecikmiş mi? (“Has the bus been delayed?”/“Is the bus delayed, apparently?”)
Note the question particle mi is written separately and follows vowel harmony: mı/mi/mu/mü.

What’s the difference between gecikmek and geç kalmak?

gecikmek = “to be delayed/run late,” common for transport, shipments, processes.
geç kalmak = “to be late (for something),” common for people.
So Otobüs gecikmiş (bus), but Toplantıya geç kaldım (I was late to the meeting).

What are other natural ways to say this?

Otobüs gecikti. (stating it as a fact)
Otobüs gecikiyor. (“The bus is running late.” ongoing)
Otobüs geç kaldı. (colloquial; “the bus was late”)
For trains/planes: Otobüs rötar yapmış. (“apparently the bus is delayed,” using the loanword).

How can I specify the amount of delay?

Use a duration before the verb: Otobüs on dakika gecikmiş. (“Apparently the bus is 10 minutes late.”)

How do I add a cause?

Use cause postpositions like yüzünden/ nedeniyle:

Otobüs trafik yüzünden gecikmiş.
Kaza nedeniyle otobüs gecikmiş.

What about certainty or hedging?

More certain: Otobüs gecikti.
Inference/educated guess: Otobüs gecikmiştir. (formal “must have been delayed”)
Soft hedges: Galiba/Herhalde otobüs gecikmiş. (“I guess/Probably the bus is delayed.”)

How do I say “The bus still hasn’t come,” which often implies lateness?

Otobüs hâlâ gelmemiş. (evidential: “apparently it still hasn’t arrived”)
Otobüs hâlâ gelmedi. (simple past negative: “it still hasn’t arrived”)

Can I change the word order?

Yes, for emphasis: Galiba otobüs gecikmiş. / Otobüs galiba gecikmiş.
But Gecikmiş otobüs is no longer a sentence; it becomes a noun phrase (“the delayed bus”).

How is gecikmiş pronounced and why is it with c, not ç?

gecikmiş ≈ “ge-jik-mish”: c is like the “j” in “jam,” ş is “sh.”
It’s spelled with c because the verb is gecikmek (“to be delayed”). Don’t write geçik- (that’s incorrect).

How does this work in the plural?

Otobüsler gecikmiş. (“Apparently the buses are delayed.”)
Third-person plural also has no overt personal ending in this pattern.

How do I say “Traffic delayed the bus” (causative)?

Use the causative geciktirmek: Trafik otobüsü geciktirmiş. (“Apparently traffic delayed the bus.”)