Questions & Answers about Şimdi saat üç buçuk.
Why do we say saat üç and not just üç?
When telling the time on the clock, we always put the word saat (clock or hour) right before the number. Literally, saat üç means 'clock three'. If you just said üç, it would only mean the number three.
I learned that the word for 'half' is yarım. Why does this sentence use buçuk?
Turkish has two different words for 'half'. You use yarım when you only have half of something. But when you are adding a half to a whole number, like 'three and a half', you must use buçuk. Because 'half past three' is three and a half on the clock, we use buçuk.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
In Turkish, simple statements about facts often do not need a visible verb. This sentence literally translates to 'Now clock three half'. The 'it is' part is naturally understood from the context.
What happens if I change the order and say üç saat instead?
The order is very important! Saat üç means 'three o'clock', which tells you a specific time on the clock. If you swap the words and say üç saat, it means 'three hours', which is an amount of time.