Learn Hardcore Turkish: Akşam sahilde çay içmek keyifli. - Drinking tea by the seaside in the evening is pleasant.

Akşam: evening (used adverbially = in the evening)
sahil-de: sahil (shore/beach) + locative -de (= at/on/in) → at/on the beach
çay: tea
iç-mek: iç- (drink) + infinitive -mek → to drink; here it works like English gerund drinking
keyifli: enjoyable/pleasant; from keyif (pleasure) + -li (with/having)

Literal skeleton: Evening beach-LOC tea drink-INF enjoyable.

Why is there no word for is?

Turkish uses nominal sentences: in simple present, the 3rd person copula is often zero. The adjective keyifli serves as the predicate, so no overt is is needed. You can optionally say keyiflidir (more formal/generic-sounding), but plain keyifli is the neutral everyday form.

What form is içmek, and why is it used?

İçmek is the infinitive (dictionary form) of the verb iç-. In Turkish, the infinitive can function as a verbal noun, much like English drinking. Here, the whole phrase Akşam sahilde çay içmek acts as the subject of the sentence.

Why isn’t çay in the accusative (çayı)?

The accusative marks a specific/definite object. Here, çay is generic/indefinite (“tea” in general), so it stays bare. Compare:

Çay içmek keyifli. = Drinking tea is enjoyable. (generic)
Çayı içmek keyifli. = Drinking the tea is enjoyable. (a particular tea you have in mind)

What does the suffix -de in sahilde do, and why is it -de (not -da/-te/-ta)?

-de/-da/-te/-ta is the locative suffix meaning at/on/in. Vowel harmony chooses -de/-da (front/back), and consonant voicing chooses d vs t:

After a vowel or voiced consonant → -de/-da
After a voiceless consonant → -te/-ta Sahil ends with the voiced consonant l and has a front vowel i, so we use -de → sahil-de.

Why sahilde and not sahile?

-de/-da (locative): at/on/in → sahilde = at/on the beach
-e/-a (dative): to/toward → sahile = to the beach

Is the word order fixed? Could I move words around?

Turkish prefers a neutral order of Time–Place–(Object)–Predicate, with the predicate at the end. So Akşam sahilde … keyifli sounds natural. You can move adverbials (akşam, sahilde) for emphasis, but keep the predicate (keyifli) at the end for a neutral tone. For example, Sahilde akşam çay içmek keyifli is possible but slightly marked.

What role does Akşam play? Does it need a case ending?

Akşam is a time word used adverbially here; no case ending is needed. It simply means in the evening. For habitual meaning, use Akşamları (= in the evenings, habitually).

How can I make the sentence habitual or specific?

Habitual: Akşamları sahilde çay içmek keyifli. (In the evenings, drinking tea on the beach is enjoyable.)
Specific: Bu akşam sahilde çay içmek keyifli. (Drinking tea on the beach this evening is enjoyable.)

How would I say “I enjoy drinking tea on the beach in the evening” with an explicit subject?

Akşamları sahilde çay içmekten keyif alırım. (I derive pleasure from …) — note -mekten (ablative) after the infinitive.
Akşamları sahilde çay içmeyi severim. (I like …) — note -meyi (accusative) as the object of sevmek.

What’s the nuance of keyifli compared to hoş or zevkli?

keyifli: pleasant, enjoyable, gives a comfy/relaxed vibe; also “in good spirits” when describing a person.
hoş: nice/pleasing (often gentler/politer tone).
zevkli: enjoyable or tasteful (often about personal taste/aesthetics; can also mean “fun”). All three can fit, but keyifli matches the relaxed pleasure of the activity well.

Does Turkish use articles like “a/the”?

Turkish has no definite article. Indefiniteness is often unmarked; definiteness is shown by context and accusative marking on objects. Bir can mean “a/one,” but you wouldn’t need it here in a generic statement. Bir çay içmek would mean “to have a tea (one serving),” which is a different nuance.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

ç = “ch” as in church: çay, içmek
ş = “sh” as in ship: Akşam
Stress typically falls on the last syllable: ak-ŞAM, sa-HİL-DE, ÇAY, iç-MEK, keyif-Lİ.

Why is there no apostrophe before the suffix in sahilde?

In Turkish, suffixes are joined directly to the word. Apostrophes are reserved for proper names (e.g., İstanbul’da). Sahil is a common noun, so sahilde is written without an apostrophe.

Is sahil the same as “beach”? When would I use plaj?

sahil: shore/coast/seaside in general; sahilde = at the seaside/on the shore.
plaj: the beach area where people swim/sunbathe; plajda = at the beach. Both can be natural depending on the context.

How can I negate or make a polite/hedged version?

Negative: Akşam sahilde çay içmek keyifli değil. (… is not enjoyable.)
Hedged/softened: Akşam sahilde çay içmek keyifli olur. (… would be enjoyable.)