Learn Hardcore Turkish: Bu oda loş; lambayı biraz açalım. - This room is dim; let’s turn up the lamp a bit.

Turkish often omits a present-tense “to be.” Bu oda loş literally “This room dim” already means “This room is dim.” If you need past or future, the copular ending appears, e.g., Bu oda loştu (was dim).

What exactly does loş mean? How is it different from karanlık?

loş = dim, softly lit, subdued lighting; there is some light, just not much.
karanlık = dark; little to no light. So Bu oda loş suggests a cozy/low-light mood, not pitch-black.

How do I pronounce the tricky letters here?

ş = “sh” as in “shoe” (so loş ≈ “losh”).
ç = “ch” as in “church” (açalım ≈ “ah-CHAH-luhm”).
ı (dotless i) = a sound with no exact English equivalent; try a relaxed “uh,” but keep the tongue back (in lambayı: lam-bah-yı).
Word stress is typically on the final syllable: lam-ba-yı, a-ça-lım.

Why is it lambayı, not lamba?

Because it’s a definite direct object (“the lamp/light”), Turkish marks it with accusative -(y)ı:

lamba
- -(y)ı → lambayı (buffer y prevents vowel clash; a → ı by vowel harmony). Indefinite/generic objects don’t take accusative: Bir lamba açalım (let’s turn on a lamp) — though that’s less natural here.

Does açmak mean “to open” or “to turn on”?

Both, depending on the object:

Kapıyı açmak = to open the door.
Televizyonu açmak / lambayı açmak / ışığı açmak = to turn on the TV/the lamp/the light. To turn off, use kapatmak. For lights specifically, you’ll also hear yakmak (to light): lambayı yakmak.

What does açalım express?

It’s the 1st-person plural optative: a suggestion/offer meaning “let’s …” So lambayı biraz açalım = “let’s turn the light up a bit.”

How is açalım formed?

Stem aç- + optative -(y)alım/elim. The last vowel of the stem (a) is back, so use -alım → açalım. More examples:

git- → gidelim (let’s go)
otur- → oturalım (let’s sit)
iç- → içelim (let’s drink)

What does biraz modify here? Does it mean “for a bit” or “a bit (in degree)”?

Here it’s degree: “a little / a bit” more brightness. Lambayı biraz açalım ≈ “Let’s turn the light up a bit.” If you meant “for a short time,” you’d say something like bir süreliğine instead.

Can I move biraz or change the word order?

Yes; Turkish word order is flexible (default S–O–V). All are natural, with slight shifts in emphasis:

Lambayı biraz açalım. (neutral)
Biraz lambayı açalım. (emphasis on “a bit”)
Lambayı açalım biraz. (colloquial; afterthought emphasis on “a bit”)

Is the semicolon normal in Bu oda loş; lambayı biraz açalım?

Yes. It links two closely related clauses (observation → suggestion). A period is equally fine: Bu oda loş. Lambayı biraz açalım. You’ll also see a comma in informal writing, though a semicolon/period is tidier.

Can I say ışığı instead of lambayı?

Absolutely:

Işığı biraz açalım. (Let’s turn the light up a bit.) Other natural variants:
Lambayı/ışığı yakalım. (Let’s switch the light on.)
Işığı kapatalım. (Let’s turn the light off.) Use kıs- to lower brightness: Işığı biraz kısalım.

Could I say Bu oda loştur?

Grammatically yes, but -DIr often sounds formal/generalizing (“is generally/characteristically dim” or an inferred statement). For an immediate observation, plain Bu oda loş is most natural.

How do I make the suggestion softer or more polite?

Lambayı biraz açalım mı? (Shall we…?)
Lambayı biraz açsak mı? (What if we…?)
Lambayı biraz açabilir miyiz? (Could we…?) These are friendlier/less direct than bare açalım.

How do I say “Let’s not turn on the lamp”?

Lambayı açmayalım. (negative: aç-
- -ma
  - -yalım) For “Let’s dim it a bit”: Işığı biraz kısalım.

How do I ask “Is this room dim?”

Bu oda loş mu? (Yes/no question particle mi/ mı/ mi/ mu follows vowel harmony; with loş you get mu.)

When should I use bu, şu, or o with oda?

bu oda = this room (near me / the one we’re in)
şu oda = that room (near you or just a bit away)
o oda = that room (far from both of us)