Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Silgi masada.
Why is there no word for “is” in Silgi masada?
Turkish often drops a separate verb for “to be” in the present with third person. This is called a nominal sentence: subject + predicate.
- Subject: Silgi (the eraser)
- Predicate: masada (at/on the table, via the locative case)
You can optionally add a formal/emphatic copula suffix: Silgi masadadır.
For 1st/2nd person, Turkish uses copular endings: Masadayım (I am at the table), Masadasın (you are at the table).
What does the ending -da in masada mean?
It’s the locative case, meaning “in/at/on,” depending on the noun. With masa (table), masada usually means “on the table” (or “at the table” in contexts like restaurants).
How do I choose between -da/-de and -ta/-te?
Two rules:
- Vowel harmony picks the vowel: last vowel a, ı, o, u → -da/-ta; last vowel e, i, ö, ü → -de/-te.
- Consonant assimilation: after a voiceless consonant (ç, f, h, k, p, s, ş, t), use -t-; otherwise use -d-. Examples:
- masa → masada (ends with vowel; last vowel a → da)
- ev → evde (vowel e → de)
- kitap → kitapta (ends with p → ta)
- park → parkta (ends with k → ta)
- köprü → köprüde (vowel ü → de)
Could I say Silgi masanın üstünde instead of Silgi masada?
Yes. Silgi masanın üstünde/üzerinde explicitly means “The eraser is on top of the table.”
- masada is looser: “at/on the table,” and in everyday usage with surfaces it typically implies “on.”
- üstünde/üzerinde removes ambiguity and emphasizes “on top of.”
How do I ask “Is the eraser on the table?” in Turkish?
Use the question particle that follows vowel harmony and attach it to the predicate: Silgi masada mı?
Possible answers:
- Evet, masada. (Yes, it is on the table.)
- Hayır, masada değil. (No, it is not on the table.)
How do I make the sentence negative?
Use değil with nominal predicates:
- Silgi masada değil. (The eraser is not on the table.) More formal/emphatic: Silgi masada değildir.
What’s the difference between Silgi masada and Masada silgi var?
- Silgi masada identifies the location of a known/specific eraser: “The eraser is on the table.”
- Masada silgi var is existential: “There is an eraser on the table.” You can add bir to stress indefiniteness: Masada bir silgi var.
Do I need words like “the” or “a/an” in Turkish here?
Turkish has no articles like “the.” Indefiniteness can be shown with bir (one/a) when needed, especially in existential sentences: Masada bir silgi var.
In Silgi masada, context usually makes it definite (“the eraser” we’re talking about).
How do I make it plural?
Add the plural suffix -ler/-lar to the noun:
- Silgiler masada. (The erasers are on the table.) For existence: Masada silgiler var (there are erasers on the table) or simply Masada silgi var (there is eraser/there are erasers), which often implies “some erasers.”
How do I say “on my table / on his table”?
Attach possessive first, then the locative:
- My table: masam + da → masamda → Silgi masamda.
- Your table: masanda
- His/Her table: masası + n + da → masasında (the buffer n comes before the case suffix)
- Our table: masamızda
- Your (pl.) table: masanızda
- Their table: masalarında
Can I drop the subject and just say Masada?
Yes, if context already makes the subject clear. For example, in response to “Where’s the eraser?” (Silgi nerede?), you can answer Masada. Without context, Masada alone is ambiguous.
Can I use the pronoun o instead of naming the object?
Yes: O masada. means “He/She/It is at/on the table.” Note o is gender-neutral; it can mean he, she, or it.
Is de/da the same as the locative -de/-da?
No.
- The locative -de/-da/-te/-ta is a suffix attached to nouns: masada (at/on the table).
- The clitic de/da means “also/too,” is written separately, and does not turn into te/ta: Silgi de masada (The eraser is on the table too).
Can I add a copular suffix for emphasis or formality?
Yes. Silgi masadadır. adds certainty/formality (often used in explanations, assumptions, or statements of fact). In casual speech, the simple Silgi masada. is more common.