Demonstrative Pronouns: Bu, Şu, O
Turkish uses three words to point things out based on distance:
- Bu (this): For things close to you.
- Şu (that): For things a bit further away, or to draw attention to an object.
- O (that): For things far away.
O is also the personal pronoun for "he", "she", and "it". Turkish does not have gendered pronouns, so context is key!
The Hidden "Is" (Zero-Copula)
In Turkish, you can build a complete sentence like "He is a doctor" without using a verb. In the third-person present tense, the word for "is" is invisible. You simply place the subject and the noun side by side.
| He is a doctor. | O doktor. |
| This is a doctor. | Bu doktor. |
| She is a teacher. | O öğretmen. |
| This is a teacher. | Bu öğretmen. |
Notice that these sentences also skip the word for "a" — Turkish usually leaves it out when stating professions. That word is up next.
The Indefinite Article: Bir
The word bir translates to "a" or "an" (and is also the number one). When pointing out objects, it usually stays in:
| This is a book. | Bu bir kitap. |
| That is a car. | O bir araba. |
| That is a house. | Şu bir ev. |
| This is a cat. | Bu bir kedi. |
With professions, however, bir is usually dropped — which is why you saw O doktor, and not O bir doktor.
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