Breakdown of Problem yok, zaman var.
var
there is / existent
yok
there is not / non-existent
problem
problem
zaman
time
Questions & Answers about Problem yok, zaman var.
Why do we use yok instead of değil here?
Yok means 'there is not' or 'does not exist.' We use it to say something isn't there. Değil just means 'not.' If you wanted to say 'It is not a problem,' you would use değil (O problem değil). But to express 'There is no problem,' you must use yok.
Where do var and yok go in a Turkish sentence?
Words about existence, like var (there is) and yok (there is not), always come right after the noun they are talking about. Instead of 'there is time,' Turkish literally says 'time there-is' (zaman var).
Why don't we say bir problem yok to mean 'there is not a problem'?
You can use bir (a/an) here, but leaving it out is much more common and sounds more natural for general statements. Turkish often drops bir when the exact quantity isn't important.
Since yok means 'there is no', can I also use it to just say 'no' in conversation?
Yes! While the dictionary word for 'no' is hayır, Turkish speakers frequently use yok as a casual 'nope' to answer questions in daily life.