Questions & Answers about Bu akşam planımız belli.
Why is there no word meaning “is” in the sentence?
Turkish often drops the verb “to be” in the present tense for noun/adjective predicates. This is a nominal sentence: the predicate is the adjective belli (“clear/settled”), so “is” is simply understood. You could add the copular suffix for formality or emphasis: Bu akşam planımız bellidir, but everyday speech prefers the zero-copula form.
What exactly does belli mean here? Are there close alternatives?
- belli: clear, evident, known, set/decided. Here: “set/decided.”
- kesin: definite/certain (stronger: no doubt, finalized). Bu akşam planımız kesin suggests it’s locked in.
- net: clear-cut/explicit, not vague.
- açık: “open/clear,” often about understandability or transparency.
- belirli: specific/particular (more attributive: belirli bir plan “a specific plan”). A near-synonymous rewrite would be Bu akşam planımız kesin/net. Nuance changes slightly.
Why is planımız singular when English often says “our plans”?
Turkish doesn’t need a plural here; the singular can convey the general idea of “what we’re doing.” If you truly mean multiple distinct plans, use the plural: planlarımız. For example:
- Singular (general): Bu akşam planımız belli. = Our plan/what we’ll do is set.
- Plural (several items): Bu akşam planlarımız belli. = Our plans (several) are set.