Akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız, ama köftenin yanına biraz salça da koyacağız.

Here akşam is being used as a time expression, so it means this evening / tonight, depending on context.

Turkish often uses time words without a preposition:

• sabah = in the morning
• öğlen = at noon
• akşam = in the evening / tonight
• yarın = tomorrow

So Akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız naturally means We’ll make pumpkin soup tonight / this evening.

If the speaker wanted to be more explicit, they could say bu akşam = this evening / tonight.

Turkish usually does not need a subject pronoun if the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

Both verbs here end in -ğiz / -ğiz type first-person plural marking:

• yapacağız = we will make
• koyacağız = we will put

So biz is optional. You could say Biz akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız, but it is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

Kabak çorbası is a very common Turkish noun-compound pattern.

It is:

• kabak = pumpkin / squash / zucchini, depending on context
• çorba = soup
• çorbası = soup of X / X soup

So kabak çorbası means pumpkin soup.

This pattern is used for many food names:

• domates çorbası = tomato soup
• mercimek çorbası = lentil soup
• tavuk suyu çorbası = chicken broth soup

Notice that the first noun usually stays plain, while the second gets a compound suffix:

• çorba → çorbası

This is not the same as normal possession in English. It is just the standard way to build many noun combinations in Turkish.

Because kabak çorbası is a noun compound, not a full possessive phrase.

Compare:

• kabak çorbası = pumpkin soup
  This is the normal name of the dish.

• kabağın çorbası = the soup of the pumpkin
  This sounds much more literal and specific, as if you are talking about a particular pumpkin.

In Turkish, dish names, categories, and many fixed combinations usually use the compound form:

• elma suyu = apple juice
• peynirli börek is slightly different, but also a standard food label pattern
• sebze çorbası = vegetable soup

So kabak çorbası is the natural choice.

Both are future-tense verbs in the we form.

yapacağız

From yapmak = to make / do

Breakdown:

• yap- = verb stem
• -acak / -ecek = future tense
• -ız / -iz / -uz / -üz = we

So:

• yap + acak + ız → yapacağız

The k in -acak becomes ğ before a vowel in this form, which is why you get -acağız in spelling.

koyacağız

From koymak = to put

Breakdown:

• koy-
• -acak
• -ız

So:

• koy + acak + ız → koyacağız

Both mean:

• yapacağız = we will make
• koyacağız = we will put

Because Turkish normally places the main verb near the end of the clause.

So the sentence is structured like this:

• Akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız
• ama köftenin yanına biraz salça da koyacağız

This is very typical Turkish word order. English puts the verb earlier, but Turkish often saves it for the end.

That said, Turkish word order is flexible for emphasis. The default, neutral version often keeps the verb last.

Literally, it means something like to the side of the meatball(s) or next to the meatball(s).

Breakdown:

• köfte = meatball / meat patties
• köftenin = of the meatball(s)
• yan = side
• yanı = its side
• yanına = to its side / to the side of

So:

köfte-nin yan-ı-na

This pattern is very common in Turkish:

• evin yanına = to the side of the house
• masanın yanına = to the side of the table
• pilavın yanına = alongside the rice
• köftenin yanına = alongside the meatballs

In food contexts, X’in yanına often means served with X or placed on the side of X.

Because yan is a relational noun, and Turkish commonly uses it in a possessed structure.

The pattern is:

X-in yanı = the side of X

So:

• köfte → köftenin
• yanı = its side
• yanına = to its side

This is why you do not simply say köfte yanına in standard Turkish. The natural form is köftenin yanına.

This same structure appears with other relational words:

• önü = front
• arkası = back
• üstü = top
• altı = underside / bottom
• içi = inside
• yanı = side

Examples:

• evin önüne = to the front of the house
• kutunun içine = into the box
• masanın üstüne = onto the table

Because biraz means a little / some, and after quantity words Turkish usually keeps the noun singular.

So:

• biraz salça = a little tomato/pepper paste
• biraz su = a little water
• biraz ekmek = some bread
• biraz köfte = some meatball

This is similar to English with uncountable nouns:

• some water
• some soup
• a little sugar

You do not need a plural ending here.

Because biraz salça is an indefinite, non-specific amount, so Turkish normally leaves it without the accusative ending.

Compare:

• biraz salça koyacağız = we’ll put some tomato/pepper paste
• salçayı koyacağız = we’ll put the tomato/pepper paste

In Turkish, a direct object often takes the accusative when it is definite or specific:

• kitabı okuyorum = I’m reading the book
• su içiyorum = I’m drinking water
• biraz su içiyorum = I’m drinking some water

So here, biraz salça is indefinite, which is why there is no -yı.

Here da means also / too / as well.

So:

• biraz salça da koyacağız = we’ll also put some tomato/pepper paste

Important point: this da is a separate word, not a suffix. That is why it is written separately.

Compare:

• Ben de geliyorum = I am coming too
• Su da var = There is water too
• Salça da koyacağız = We’ll add tomato/pepper paste too

Its position matters. It usually follows the word or phrase it emphasizes.

So:

• salça da emphasizes salça
• biraz da salça would more naturally emphasize also a little tomato paste

No. They look the same in writing, but they are different things.

Separate word: da / de

Means also / too

• Ben de = me too
• salça da = tomato paste too

Suffix: -da / -de

Means in / on / at

• evde = at home
• masada = on the table
• akşamda would not fit this sentence

A good quick test:

• If it means also, it is separate.
• If it means in/on/at, it is attached to the noun.

Ama means but.

It connects the two clauses and shows contrast:

• We’ll make pumpkin soup tonight, but we’ll also put some paste next to the meatballs.

It is a very common coordinating conjunction. Other possible conjunctions are:

• fakat = but
• ancak = however / but

But ama is the most common and everyday choice.

The letter ğ in Turkish is usually not pronounced like a hard English g.

In words like yapacağız and koyacağız, it usually lengthens or smooths the preceding vowel rather than making a strong consonant sound.

So:

• yapacağız sounds roughly like yapajaa-z
• koyacağız sounds roughly like koyajaa-z

The exact pronunciation varies a bit by speaker and speed, but the key point is:

ğ is usually soft and often not heard as a full consonant.

Yes, Turkish word order is flexible, but the meaning focus may change.

The original sentence is neutral and natural:

• Akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız, ama köftenin yanına biraz salça da koyacağız.

Other possible versions:

• Kabak çorbası yapacağız akşam, ama köftenin yanına biraz salça da koyacağız.
• Akşam kabak çorbası yapacağız, ama biraz salça da köftenin yanına koyacağız.

These are still understandable, but they may sound more marked or put emphasis on different parts.

For learners, the safest pattern is:

• time
• objects/complements
• verb at the end

So the original sentence is a very good model to follow.