There Is.../There Isn't...
'There is...'
- To say 'there is....', or to say that something exists we use the word 'var' after the word.
'There isn't...'
- To say 'there is....' or to say that something doesn't exist we use the word 'yok' after the word.
Examples
araba var = there is a car
odada bir masa var = there is a table in the room
kedi yok = there isn't a cat
masada bir kitap yok = there isn't a book on the table
We can also use the words 'var' and 'yok' to show that we have something. We do this by adding the word after a possessive sentence.
The literal translation into English of this would be 'my ...... exists' or 'my ...... doesn't exist'.
Examples
kedi = cat
kedim = my cat
benim kedim var = i have a cat (my cat exists)
senin evin var = you have a house
onun araba yok = he doesn't have a car
To say 'there was.....' or 'there wasn't.....', we must use 'var' or 'yok' in the past tense by adding the past suffix '-di'. This will then change to vowel harmony to become;
'vardı' and 'yoktu'
Examples
araba vardı = there was a car
araba yoktu = there wasn't a car
To ask a question, for example 'is there a car?', we must add the question marker.
'.....var mı?' = 'is there......?'
'.......yok mu?' = 'isn't there.......?'
Examples
is there a car? = araba var mı?
is there not a car? = araba yok mu?
bahçede kedi var mı? = is there a cat in the garden?
senin kedin var mı? = do you have a cat?
onun kalem yok mu? = doesn't he have a pen?
'There was../There wasn't..'
Questions with Var/Yok
To test yourself on what you've just learnt, click here.