Existence (Var/Yok) in Turkish

Overview

Turkish has a beautifully simple system for expressing existence and possession that does not require any verb conjugation at all. The word var means "there is" or "there are" (and by extension "I have"), while yok means "there is not" or "there are not" (and "I don't have"). These two small words are among the most frequently used in everyday Turkish.

At the A1 level, var and yok are essential because they let you talk about what exists, what is available, and what you have or do not have. Unlike English, which uses different constructions for "there is a book" and "I have a book," Turkish uses var/yok for both — the difference lies in whether you add a possessive suffix to the noun.

You will hear var and yok dozens of times per day in Turkey, from asking if a restaurant has a free table to checking if there is milk in the fridge. They are simple, versatile, and immediately useful.

How It Works

Basic Existence: "There Is / There Is Not"

The structure is straightforward: put the subject first, then var or yok.

Turkish	English
Su var.	There is water.
Su yok.	There is no water.
Burada taksi var.	There is a taxi here.
Burada taksi yok.	There is no taxi here.

Expressing "To Have"

Turkish does not have a verb meaning "to have." Instead, you use a possessive suffix on the noun plus var/yok:

Turkish	Literal	English
Arabam var.	My car exists.	I have a car.
Araban var mı?	Your car exists?	Do you have a car?
Arabası yok.	His/her car doesn't exist.	He/she doesn't have a car.
Arabamız var.	Our car exists.	We have a car.

Possessive Suffixes with Var/Yok

Person	Suffix	Example	Meaning
Ben	-(ı)m	Param var.	I have money.
Sen	-(ı)n	Zamanın var mı?	Do you have time?
O	-(s)ı	Kedisi yok.	He/she doesn't have a cat.
Biz	-(ı)mız	Biletimiz var.	We have tickets.
Siz	-(ı)nız	Sorunuz var mı?	Do you have a question?
Onlar	-ları	Çocukları var.	They have children.

Questions with Var/Yok

To form yes/no questions, add the question particle mı/mi/mu/mü after var:

• Süt var mı? (Is there milk?)
• Zamanın var mı? (Do you have time?)

For yok, you can simply use rising intonation or the question particle:

• Yok mu? (There isn't? / Don't you have any?)

Examples in Context

Turkish	English	Note
Masada bir kitap var.	There is a book on the table.	Basic existence
Param yok.	I don't have money.	Possession with yok
Burada market var mı?	Is there a market here?	Existence question
İki çocuğum var.	I have two children.	Possession with number
Sıcak su yok mu?	Is there no hot water?	Surprised/disappointed question
Bugün dersimiz var.	We have class today.	Possession — scheduled event
Sorun yok.	No problem.	Very common expression
Başka sorunuz var mı?	Do you have any other questions?	Polite/formal question
Şemsiyem yok.	I don't have an umbrella.	Possession with yok
Yakında eczane var mı?	Is there a pharmacy nearby?	Asking for directions

Common Mistakes

Using a Verb for "To Have"

• Wrong: Ben var araba. or Ben sahip araba.
• Right: Arabam var.
• Why: Turkish does not use a verb for "to have." The possessive suffix on the noun plus var/yok is the correct structure.

Forgetting the Possessive Suffix

• Wrong: Araba var. (meaning "I have a car")
• Right: Arabam var. (I have a car) vs. Araba var. (There is a car.)
• Why: Without the possessive suffix, the sentence means "there is a car" (general existence), not "I have a car."

Wrong Word Order

• Wrong: Var param.
• Right: Param var.
• Why: Var and yok come at the end of the sentence, after the subject.

Practice Tips

• Practice var/yok with items around you. Look around the room and make sentences: "Masa var" (there is a table), "Kedi yok" (there is no cat). Then add possessive suffixes: "Telefonum var" (I have a phone).

• Use var mı? to ask questions everywhere. This is one of the most useful question patterns in daily life. Practice asking about things in shops, restaurants, and public places: "Wi-Fi var mı?", "Menü var mı?", "Oda var mı?" (Is there a room?).

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