Learn Hardcore Turkish: Toplantı saati netleşti. - The meeting time has been finalized.

net: clear, definite
-leş-: inchoative suffix meaning “become X”
-ti: simple past, 3rd person singular So netleşti = “(it) became clear/definite,” often understood in English as “has been finalized/settled.”

What tense/aspect is netleşti? Why does it often translate like English present perfect?

It’s Turkish simple past (-di). However, with verbs of change of state (like netleşmek “to become clear”), the simple past frequently reports a new, current result, which English usually expresses with the present perfect: “It has been finalized.”

Who/what is the subject here?

Toplantı saati (“the meeting time”) is the subject. There is no dropped pronoun; Turkish doesn’t need a separate subject pronoun when the subject noun is present.

Why is it saati and not just saat? What is that -i?

In Turkish noun–noun compounds (indefinite compounds), the second noun carries a 3rd person possessive marker:

Pattern: Noun1 + Noun2-(s)I
Example: toplantı saati = “meeting time,” literally “meeting its-time.” That final -i is the 3rd person possessive.

Why is it saati (with dotted i) and not saatı (with dotless ı)? Isn’t vowel harmony expecting -ı after “a”?

Good catch. Saat is one of a small group of exceptions that trigger front-vowel suffixes despite ending in “a.” So you get:

saati, saatin, saate, not saatı, saatın, saata. Learners just memorize this as an exception.

What’s the difference between toplantı saati and toplantının saati?

toplantı saati: the standard, compact compound (“meeting time”). Very common in set phrases (e.g., başlangıç saati, bitiş saati).
toplantının saati: genitive–possessive form (“the time of the meeting”). Also correct, often used when contrasting with other attributes (e.g., “the time of the meeting, not the place”).

Is netleşti passive?

No. Netleşmek is intransitive: “to become clear.” It describes a result without naming an agent. If you want a passive meaning that implies an agent acted, use:

netleştirilmek (passive of the transitive verb): Toplantı saati netleştirildi = “The meeting time was finalized (by someone).”

How do I say “We finalized the meeting time”?

Use the transitive verb netleştirmek with the object in accusative:

Toplantı saatini netleştirdik.

What’s the nuance difference between netleşti, belli oldu, and kesinleşti?

netleşti: became clear/definite; a practical “it’s now clear enough to act on.”
belli oldu: became known/obvious; broader and more neutral.
kesinleşti: became final/conclusive; stronger sense of official finalization.

Could I use zaman instead of saat here?

You can say toplantı zamanı in some contexts, but:

saat refers to clock time (e.g., 10:30).
zaman is broader (“time/period”). To talk about a specific hour/minute, toplantı saati is the natural choice.

How would I ask “Has the meeting time been set?” and answer “Yes, it has been set”?

Question: Toplantı saati netleşti mi?
Answer: Evet, netleşti.

What about the evidential past? How does netleşmiş differ from netleşti?

netleşti (-di past): direct, certain information (speaker knows/announces it as a fact).
netleşmiş (-miş past): hearsay/inference (“apparently/it seems the meeting time has been set”). It adds a nuance of reported or inferred certainty.

Is the word order flexible? Can I front the verb for emphasis?

Yes. You can say Netleşti toplantı saati, which emphasizes the result (“It’s settled—the meeting time”). Neutral/orderly information flow keeps the subject first: Toplantı saati netleşti.

Any pronunciation tips for these words?

Toplantı: final ı is the Turkish dotless vowel [ɯ], not like English “ee.” Stress is typically on the last syllable: toplanTI.
saati: two syllables, “saa-ti,” with a long “aa” feel; stress on -Tİ.
netleşti: “ş” is “sh”; stress on -ŞTİ.