Breakdown of Bende nakit yok, kart var.
ben
I
var
there is / existent
yok
there is not / non-existent
nakit
cash
Questions & Answers about Bende nakit yok, kart var.
Why does it use Bende instead of Benim to say "I don't have"?
When talking about having something with you at this exact moment, Turkish uses the locative ending (-de/-da, meaning "at" or "on") plus var or yok. Bende nakit yok literally translates to "There is no cash on me." If you were talking about owning something permanently, like a car, you would use Benim (My).
Why isn't there a word for "I have" in the second half (kart var)?
The bende (on me) from the first part naturally carries over. The full thought is Bende nakit yok, (bende) kart var, but Turkish frequently drops repeated words if the context makes them obvious.
Could I use the word ama (but) in this sentence?
Yes, you could absolutely say Bende nakit yok ama kart var. However, simply putting a comma between a yok phrase and a var phrase creates a strong enough contrast that the word "but" is often left out in everyday speech.
How does this sentence connect to the lesson's question word Nasıl (how)?
While the sentence itself doesn't contain the word nasıl, it is the most common response to the question Nasıl ödeyeceksiniz? (How will you pay?). It explains the manner or choice of how the transaction will happen.