Rules and usage
Var and yok are the fundamental existential verbs in Turkish, expressing existence and possession. Var means "there is," "exists," or "has," while yok means "there is not," "doesn't exist," or "doesn't have." Unlike English, Turkish uses the same structures to express both existence and possession.
What "var" and "yok" mean
- Var means existence, presence, or possession. Yok means non-existence, absence, or lack. These words function as verbs, though they behave differently from action verbs. Unlike English, which uses different words for existence ("is there") and possession ("has"), Turkish uses var for both.
- Bir kedi var. = There is a cat.
- Paraları var. = They have money.
- Su yok. = There is no water.
- Benim bir arabam var. = I have a car.
✅ Positive sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Evde bir kedi var. | There is a cat at home. |
| Çay bardağında şeker var. | There is sugar in the tea glass. |
⛔ Negative sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Buzdolabında yemek yok. | There is no food in the fridge. |
| Cebimde kalem yok. | I don't have a pen in my pocket. |
❓ Question sentence examples
| Turkish | English |
|---|
| Evde birisi var mı? | Is there someone at home? |
| Yarın zamanın var mı? | Do you have time tomorrow? |