Learn Hardcore Turkish: Rıhtıma yanaşan tekneyi izledim. - I watched the boat docking at the wharf.

Rıhtıma is the word rıhtım (“pier” or “quay”) in the dative case. The suffix -a indicates direction toward something—so rıhtıma means “to the pier.”

Why is tekneyi in the accusative (with -yi) instead of in its base form tekne?

Turkish uses the accusative case (-i/-ı/-u/-ü) when the direct object is definite or specific. Here it’s “the boat” that is known or identified by the speaker, so it becomes tekneyi.

What role does yanaşan play in the sentence?

Yanaşan is a present‐participle (relative clause) formed with the suffix -an on yanaş- (“to approach,” “to come alongside”). It modifies tekne, so yanaşan tekneyi means “the boat that is approaching/docking.”

How is the Turkish participle -an different from the English “-ing” form?

In English, “-ing” can indicate progressive aspect (I am going) or turn a verb into a noun (Swimming is fun). In Turkish, -an does not convey aspect—it creates a relative clause (“the one that …”). Progressive aspect in Turkish uses -yor (e.g. yanaşıyor).

Why use izledim instead of baktım?

İzlemek means “to watch” in the sense of following something attentively over time. Bakmak means “to look” or “to glance.” Since you are observing the boat’s movement, izlemek is the precise choice.

Could you rephrase the sentence using an adverbial clause with -ken?

Yes. You can say:
• Tekneyi rıhtıma yanaşırken izledim.
Here -ken on yanaş- (“while it was approaching”) makes an adverbial clause: “I watched the boat while it was coming alongside the pier.”

How does word order work in Rıhtıma yanaşan tekneyi izledim, and could it change?

Turkish follows Subject-Object-Verb. Modifiers (like participles and case‐marked phrases) precede what they modify. So:
• Rıhtıma yanaşan (modifier of “the boat”)
• tekneyi (object)
• izledim (verb)
You could shuffle for emphasis (e.g. Tekneyi rıhtıma yanaşan izledim), but the given order is the most natural for clear modification.