Questions & Answers about Bu kitap ucuz değil.
Why do we use değil to mean 'not' here instead of a negative suffix?
Why does değil go at the very end of the sentence?
Turkish sentences usually put the verb or the main action at the very end. Even though değil isn't an action verb, it acts as the 'is not' piece that completes the sentence, so it naturally sits in that final position.
Where is the word for 'is' in Bu kitap ucuz değil?
Turkish doesn't have a separate word for 'is' when talking about 'he', 'she', or 'it' (the third person). The structure itself implies the 'is'. So, ucuz değil literally translates to 'cheap not', but means 'is not cheap'.
Can I drop the word kitap and just say Bu ucuz değil?
Yes, absolutely! Bu can be used to point at a noun (this book) or can stand alone to mean 'this'. If the person you are talking to already knows you mean the book, Bu ucuz değil perfectly translates to 'This is not cheap.'