Learn Turkish: İsmin ne? - What is your name?

In Turkish, some two-syllable words lose the vowel in their second syllable when a suffix starting with a vowel is added. The word for "name" is isim. When we add the "your" suffix (-in), the second i drops out to make it easier to say, giving us ismin.

How does ismin mean "your name" if there is no word for "your"?

Turkish shows possession by attaching a suffix to the end of the noun rather than using a separate word. The suffix -in makes it "your". Because of the vowel drop rule, isim + -in becomes ismin (your name).

Where is the word for "is" in this sentence?

There isn't a separate word for "is". In simple present tense sentences, the verb "to be" (am/is/are) is often just understood from the context, especially with question words like ne (what). The literal translation is just "Your name what?".

Can I use this phrase to ask anyone their name?

İsmin ne? is informal, so it is best used with friends, children, or people your own age. If you are speaking to someone older, a stranger, or in a formal setting, it is more polite to use the formal version: İsminiz ne?.