Word
Kütüphanede yüksek sesle konuşulmaz.
Meaning
One doesn't speak with a loud voice in the library.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Kütüphanede yüksek sesle konuşulmaz.
kütüphane
library
konuşmak
to speak / to talk
ses
voice / sound
ile
with / by / and (linking nouns)
Questions & Answers about Kütüphanede yüksek sesle konuşulmaz.
Why is the passive suffix -ul added to konuş when there is no direct object being acted upon?
This sentence uses an impersonal passive, which is the main focus of this lesson. When you add a passive suffix to an intransitive verb in Turkish, it removes the specific doer of the action entirely. It translates to general statements using "one" or "people" in English. Therefore, konuşulmaz means "one doesn't speak."
Why does the verb end with -maz instead of -mıyor?
The suffix -maz is the negative form of the aorist tense. The aorist is used for general rules, universal facts, and broad habits. Since keeping quiet in a library is a timeless rule rather than an action just happening right now, the aorist is the correct choice here.
Why do we use the phrase yüksek sesle instead of a single adverb for "loudly"?
While English has the single word "loudly", Turkish commonly expresses this idea with the phrase yüksek sesle. This literally translates to "with a high voice", where yüksek means "high" or "loud", ses means "voice", and -le is the instrumental suffix meaning "with".
Does this sentence have a hidden subject like o (he/she/it)?
No, impersonal passive sentences in Turkish do not have a grammatical subject at all! Because the verb is intransitive and passivized, the action of speaking simply exists as a general concept without anyone specific doing it or receiving it.