Ben kitabı masaya koyuyorum.

I

Breakdown of Ben kitabı masaya koyuyorum.

• kitap: the book
• masa: the table
• koymak: to put

Questions & Answers about Ben kitabı masaya koyuyorum.

Why is the object kitabı marked with the ending -ı?

Kitap means “book,” and the ending -ı is the accusative marker. This suffix indicates that the book is a definite object receiving the action of the verb. Note that vowel harmony affects the form of this ending in different words.

What is the role of masaya in the sentence, and why does it end with -ya?

Masa means “table.” The ending -ya is the dative case marker, showing direction or destination. In this sentence, masaya means “to/onto the table,” indicating where the book is being placed.

How is the verb koyuyorum formed, and what does it tell us about the tense and subject?

The verb comes from the root koy- (to put/place). The segment -uyor expresses the present continuous tense, and the ending -um indicates the first person singular (“I”). Thus, koyuyorum means “I am putting” or “I am placing.”

Why is the subject Ben explicitly mentioned, even though Turkish is a pro-drop language?

Turkish often omits subject pronouns because the verb endings already indicate the subject. However, including Ben (“I”) can add clarity, emphasis, or contrast, helping to focus on the actor in the sentence.

Is the word order in Turkish flexible, and can this sentence be rearranged without losing its meaning?

While Turkish typically follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order—as seen in Ben kitabı masaya koyuyorum—the language allows considerable flexibility. Rearrangements are possible for emphasis or stylistic reasons, provided that the case markers (like -ı and -ya) clearly indicate each word’s grammatical function.