Learn Hardcore Turkish: Posta kodu yanlışsa, kargonuz gecikiyor. - If the postal code is wrong, your shipment gets delayed.

Turkish often drops “to be” in the 3rd-person present. The meaning “is” is carried by the structure and, in conditionals, by the suffix -sa/-se. So yanlışsa literally means “if (it) is wrong.”

What does the suffix -sa mean, and why is it -sa (not -se) in yanlışsa?

-sa/-se marks the conditional “if/when.”
Turkish vowel harmony chooses -sa after back vowels (a, ı, o, u) and -se after front vowels (e, i, ö, ü).
In yanlış, the last vowel is ı (back), so it becomes yanlışsa.

Can I write it as “yanlış ise” instead of “yanlışsa”?

Yes. yanlış ise (separate) and yanlışsa (contracted) are both correct. The contracted form is more common in everyday writing and speech; the separate form can sound a bit more careful or emphatic.

Is “yanlışsa” the same as “yanlış olursa”?

Practically yes: both mean “if it is wrong.” yanlışsa is shorter; yanlış olursa is a bit more explicit and can feel slightly more formal or conditional in tone.

What kind of structure is “posta kodu”? Why not “postanın kodu”?

posta kodu is an indefinite compound noun (belirtisiz isim tamlaması): posta + kod + u (“postal code” as a set phrase). The second word takes a 3rd-person possessive (-u).
postanın kodu (with genitive -ın) would mean “the code of the post,” which isn’t how you name the concept “postal code.”

What exactly does “kargonuz” mean? Who is “you” here?

kargo + -nuz = “your shipment.” The suffix -nuz/-niz/-nuz/-nüz is 2nd person plural possessive, also used for polite singular “your.” So it can address one person politely or a group.

Does “kargonuz” mean a plural “your shipments”?

No. It’s singular, just possessed. For plural, say kargolarınız = kargo (shipment) + -lar (plural) + -ınız (your).

Who is the subject, and how does agreement work in the main clause?

The subject is kargonuz (“your shipment”). The verb gecikiyor is 3rd person singular to agree with the subject “shipment.” The possessor “you” does not affect verb agreement.

What tense/aspect is “gecikiyor”? Could it also imply the future?

gecikiyor is the present continuous (-iyor), “is being delayed.” In if-clauses, it can also imply a near-future or typical result: “it gets delayed / it will be delayed.” For a general rule, Turkish often prefers the aorist: gecikir.

Which one should I use: gecikiyor, gecikir, gecikecek, or gecikebilir?

gecikiyor: ongoing or expected in the current/near context (“it is delayed/gets delayed”).
gecikir (aorist): general truth/habit (“it (typically) gets delayed”).
gecikecek: definite future (“it will be delayed”).
gecikebilir: possibility (“it may get delayed”).

Why “gecikiyor” and not “geciktiriyor”?

gecikmek = to be late/to get delayed (intransitive).
geciktirmek = to delay (something/someone) (transitive, causative). Here, the shipment itself is delayed, so gecikiyor is correct.

Why is “gecikmek” spelled with c, not ç?

It’s spelled gecikmek (with c), and c in Turkish sounds like English “j.” So gecikiyor is pronounced roughly “ge-jee-KEE-yor.” This is a common spelling trap for learners.

How do I pronounce the whole sentence?

Roughly: “POS-ta KO-du YAN-lış-sa, KAR-go-nuz ge-jee-KEE-yor.” Notes:

ı (in yanlış, kargonuz) is a back, unrounded vowel (like a relaxed “uh”).
ş = “sh.”
c = “j” in “jam.”

Can the clause order change? Do I need the comma?

You can say either:

Posta kodu yanlışsa, kargonuz gecikiyor.
Kargonuz gecikiyor, posta kodu yanlışsa. Both are possible; placing the “if”-clause first is more common. A comma is customary when the conditional clause comes first.

Why are there no case endings like -ı/-e on the nouns here?

There’s no direct object. In the conditional clause, posta kodu is part of a nominal predicate (“postal code [is] wrong”), and in the main clause kargonuz is the subject. So both remain in the nominative.

Do I need to add “sizin” (your) in front of “kargonuz”?

Not normally. kargonuz already encodes “your.” You can add sizin kargonuz for emphasis or contrast (e.g., “your shipment (as opposed to someone else’s) is delayed”).

Are there common synonyms or variants I could use?

For “wrong”: hatalı, yanlış, eksik (incomplete) depending on nuance.
For “shipment”: paketiniz, gönderiniz.
Example: Posta kodu hatalıysa, paketiniz gecikebilir.