Questions & Answers about Bu cümleyi kopyalamak yasak.
Why is it cümleyi and not just cümle?
The word cümle (sentence) has the specific direct object ending -(y)i. Even though kopyalamak (to copy / copying) is acting as the subject of the sentence here, it is still a verb at heart. Because you are copying a specific thing, that thing needs the accusative case ending. Since cümle ends in a vowel, we add the buffer letter -y- before the -i.
How does kopyalamak mean 'copying'? Isn't the -mak ending for 'to copy'?
Yes, -mak and -mek are the infinitive endings ('to copy'). But in Turkish, this dictionary form can also act as a noun, similar to the English '-ing' form. Here, kopyalamak functions as the subject of the sentence: 'Copying...' or 'To copy...'.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
Turkish doesn't use a separate word for 'is' in simple present-tense statements like this. By placing the adjective yasak (forbidden) at the end of the sentence, the 'is' is naturally implied.
Since our current lesson is about diye, how would I say: The teacher said 'Copying this sentence is forbidden'?
You would simply put the exact quote before diye (saying) and follow it with your reporting verb. For example: Öğretmen, 'Bu cümleyi kopyalamak yasak' diye söyledi.