Buz kalıbı dolu.

to be

Breakdown of Buz kalıbı dolu.

• dolu: full
• buz kalıbı: the ice tray

Questions & Answers about Buz kalıbı dolu.

What are the parts of the sentence and how is it structured?

• Buz = ice
• kalıp = mold, tray
• kalıb-ı = tray + 3rd person possessive suffix -(s)I, forming a noun–noun compound: buz kalıbı = ice tray (literally “ice’s tray/mold,” but used like “ice tray”)
• dolu = full
• Whole sentence: a nominal (verb-less) sentence: Buz kalıbı (subject) + dolu (predicate) → “The ice tray is full.”

Why is there no verb “is”?

• Turkish often omits “to be” in the simple present for 3rd person. Adjectives and nouns can be predicates by themselves.
• Buz kalıbı dolu. literally: “Ice tray full.”
• You can add the copular suffix -dır/-dir for formality or emphasis: Buz kalıbı doludur.
• To use a pronoun: O dolu. (It is full.) when the referent is clear from context.

That -ı in kalıbı — is it the accusative case?

• No. Here it’s the 3rd person possessive/compound suffix -(s)I that marks the head of an indefinite noun compound (buz + kalıbı).
• Accusative would come on top of that with an extra buffer -n-: buz kalıbını (the ice tray as a definite object).
  • Compare: Buz kalıbını yıkadım. (I washed the ice tray.)

Why does kalıp become kalıbı? What happened to the p?

• Consonant softening when adding a vowel-initial suffix: p → b, t → d, k → ğ/g, ç → c.
• kalıp + ı → kalıbı (and vowel harmony picks -ı).
• This is standard morphophonology in Turkish.

How do I express “the” or “this” since Turkish has no articles?

• Turkish has no “the/a.” Definiteness is from context.
• Use demonstratives for clarity:
  • Bu buz kalıbı dolu. (This ice tray is full.)
  • Şu/O buz kalıbı dolu. (That ice tray is full.)

How do I ask a yes/no question?

• Use the question particle mi/mı/mü/mu after the predicate, with vowel harmony:
  • Buz kalıbı dolu mu?
• Answers: Evet, dolu. / Hayır, dolu değil.

How do I negate this sentence?

• Use değil to negate nominal/adjectival predicates:
  • Buz kalıbı dolu değil. (The ice tray is not full.)
• More formal/emphatic: Buz kalıbı dolu değildir.

When would I use doludur with -dır?

• -dır/-dir/-dur/-dür adds formality, certainty, or general-truth flavor, or is used in careful statements and corrections.
• Buz kalıbı doludur. sounds formal/certain; everyday speech prefers dolu.

How do I talk about multiple ice trays?

• Pluralize the noun; the predicate adjective stays singular:
  • Buz kalıpları dolu. (The ice trays are full.)
• You usually do not pluralize the predicate: dolular is possible but marked/emphatic; default is dolu.

Should I use var/yok here?

• dolu/boş describe a state; var/yok state existence.
  • State: Buz kalıbı dolu. (The tray is full.)
  • Existence/location: Buz kalıbında su var. (There is water in the tray.)
• Negative existence: Buz kalıbında su yok.

How do I say “full of water/ice”?

• Use the instrumental -la/-le (with vowel harmony):
  • Buz kalıbı suyla dolu. (full of water)
  • Buz kalıbı buzla dolu. (full of ice)
• Intensifiers: tamamen dolu, tam dolu, ağzına kadar dolu (filled to the brim).

Can I put the adjective before the noun to say “the full ice tray”?

• Yes, adjectives come before nouns in attributive use:
  • Dolu buz kalıbı = a/the full ice tray.
• As a standalone sentence, Dolu buz kalıbı. is a fragment; you need a predicate (e.g., Dolu buz kalıbı burada.).

What’s the difference between buz kalıbı and buzun kalıbı?

• buz kalıbı: indefinite noun compound (generic “ice tray/ice mold”), the normal way to name objects.
• buzun kalıbı: definite genitive-possessive (“the mold of the ice”), usually only literal/analytical, and odd in everyday talk for this object name.

Are there synonyms for “ice tray” in Turkish?

• Common: buz kalıbı (ice(-cube) tray).
• More explicit: buz küpü kalıbı (ice-cube mold).
• Not the same: buzluk = freezer compartment; buz kabı = an ice container/bucket, not the tray.

How is the vowel ı pronounced? And is there confusion with bu?

• ı is a back, unrounded vowel (like the “uh” in roses, IPA [ɯ]). In kalıbı, both vowels are ı: ka-lı-bı.
• buz (ice) = [buz]; bu (this) = [bu]. They’re different words; buz isn’t “bu” + “z.”

How do I express actions related to the tray with cases?

• Definite object (accusative): Buz kalıbını yıkadım. (I washed the ice tray.)
• Into (dative): Buz kalıbına su döktüm. (I poured water into the tray.)
• In (locative): Buz kalıbında su var. (There is water in the tray.)
• From (ablative): Buz kalıbından buz çıkardım. (I took ice out of the tray.)

What’s the difference between dolu and dolmuş here?

• dolu = full (state).
• dolmuş = has become full/looks full (result/evidential): Buz kalıbı dolmuş. (It seems/has gotten full.)
• Note: dolmuş also means a shared minibus; context disambiguates.

What’s the opposite of dolu?

• boş = empty.
• Sentences:
  • Buz kalıbı boş. (The ice tray is empty.)
  • Formal: Buz kalıbı boştur.
  • Question/negation: Buz kalıbı boş mu? / Buz kalıbı boş değil.