Gemi limana doğru süzülüyor.

The ship is gliding toward the harbor.

Breakdown of Gemi limana doğru süzülüyor.

• -ya: to
• gemi: the ship
• doğru: toward
• liman: the harbor
• süzülmek: to glide

Questions & Answers about Gemi limana doğru süzülüyor.

Why is limana in the dative case with -a instead of the base form liman?

Because we’re expressing motion “towards” the port. In Turkish, nouns that indicate a destination or direction take the dative suffix -a (or -e after front vowels). So liman (“port”) → liman + a = limana (“to the port”).

What role does doğru play in limana doğru?

Doğru is a postposition meaning “toward(s)” or “in the direction of.” It always follows a noun in the dative case.
Structure: [Noun in Dative] + doğru = “toward [Noun].”
Example: ev + e doğru (“toward the house”), liman + a doğru (“toward the port”).

Why is the verb süzülüyor placed at the end of the sentence?

Turkish follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. Here:
Subject = Gemi (“The ship”)
Object/Direction Phrase = limana doğru (“toward the port”)
Verb = süzülüyor (“is gliding”)
So the natural order is Gemi limana doğru süzülüyor.

How is the present continuous form süzülüyor constructed?

1. Start with the verb stem süzül- (from süzülmek, “to glide”).
2. Add the continuous tense suffix -(i)yor, which harmonizes to -üyor after the front rounded vowel ü in the stem.
3. For 3rd person singular, there is no additional personal ending (zero ending).
   Putting it together: süzül- + üyor = süzülüyor (“(it) is gliding”).

Why does süzülmek have an extra -l- compared to süzmek?

Süzülmek is the passive/deverbal form of the transitive verb süzmek (“to strain, to filter”). The suffix -l (plus infinitive -mek) turns it into a generally intransitive or passive verb. Over time süzülmek came to mean “to glide/slide slowly.”

Why isn’t there an article like “the” or “a” before gemi?

Turkish does not use articles (a/an/the) the way English does. Definiteness is often clear from context or by case endings. Here Gemi can mean “(the) ship” or “a ship” depending on what you already know.

Can I drop doğru and just say Gemi limana süzülüyor?

Yes, you can. Gemi limana süzülüyor still means “The ship is gliding to the port,” but omitting doğru makes it less explicit about the direction “toward.” doğru emphasizes the “toward-ness.”

Why is there a y in süzülüyor (i.e. -üyor)?

The continuous tense suffix is -(i)yor; the y is a buffer consonant that prevents two vowels from colliding when you attach the suffix. Vowel harmony changes i → ü here, giving -üyor.