Breakdown of Kitaplar kütüphanede yer alıyor.
kitap
the book
kütüphane
the library
-de
in
yer almak
to be located
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Questions & Answers about Kitaplar kütüphanede yer alıyor.
What does yer alıyor literally mean and how does it function in this sentence?
Literally, yer almak means “to take a place.” In yer alıyor, yer (“place”) combines with the verb almak (“to take”), and the ending -ıyor marks present continuous. Together they form an idiom meaning “to be located” or “to occupy a place.” So Kitaplar kütüphanede yer alıyor = “The books are located in the library.”
Why does kütüphanede end with -de and what case is that?
The suffix -de marks the locative case, indicating “in” or “at.” You attach -de (or -da, -te, -ta depending on vowel/consonant harmony and voicing) directly to the noun. Here kütüphane ends in -e (a front unrounded vowel), so it takes -de: kütüphane + de → kütüphanede (“in the library”).
What role does -yor play in yer alıyor? Is this really a present continuous action?
The suffix -yor is the standard present continuous tense marker in Turkish. Although yer almak describes a state (“be located”), Turkish typically uses -yor even for ongoing states. It doesn’t mean “right this second they’re moving,” but rather “they are (currently) located.” For a general truth you could use the aorist (yer alır), but -yor is more natural for describing current location.
What is the difference between yer almak and bulunmak?
Both verbs can mean “to be located.”
- yer almak is slightly more formal and literally “to take a place/position.”
- bulunmak literally means “to be found” and is the more common everyday verb for “to be located.”
You could say Kitaplar kütüphanede bulunuyor with essentially the same meaning.
How would I say “A book is in the library” (singular and indefinite)?
Use the singular noun plus the indefinite article bir:
“Bir kitap kütüphanede yer alıyor.”
Or more commonly with bulunmak: “Bir kitap kütüphanede bulunuyor.”
How do I make this sentence negative: “The books are not in the library”?
Insert the negative suffix -ma/-me before -ıyor:
Kitaplar kütüphanede yer almıyor.
Or with bulunmak: Kitaplar kütüphanede bulunmuyor.
Can I drop yer and just say Kitaplar kütüphanede alıyor?
No. yer almak is a fixed two-word verb. You cannot omit yer. Without it, alıyor would need an object and lose the meaning “to be located.”
Why is there no equivalent of “the” or “a” before Kitaplar?
Turkish has no definite article like “the.” Context usually shows whether a noun is definite. It does have an indefinite article bir (“a/an”), but you only use it when you want to emphasize “one” or “any.” Here, Kitaplar just means “books” in general or “the books” known from context.
Could I use Kitaplar kütüphanede duruyor instead?
Yes, durmak (“to stand”) can describe objects that are physically standing or placed upright. It’s less formal and focuses on posture: “The books are standing in the library.” For neutral location, yer almak or bulunmak is preferred.
How do you pronounce kütüphanede yer alıyor?
Approximate Romanization:
ky-tü-pha-na-de yer al-uh-yor
Phonetic hints:
- ü = like German ü (close front rounded)
- ı = like the ‘e’ in “roses” (unstressed)
- Stress typically falls on the last syllable: alyor.