Matkap ucu masada duruyor.

The drill bit is on the table.

Breakdown of Matkap ucu masada duruyor.

• masa: the table
• -da: on
• durmak: to stand
• matkap ucu: the drill bit

Questions & Answers about Matkap ucu masada duruyor.

How is matkap ucu formed and what does each part mean?

matkap = drill
uç = tip
Possessive suffix -u on uç (uç-u) = its tip
Together matkap ucu literally means “the tip of the drill,” i.e. “drill bit.” In Turkish the possessor comes first (matkap) and the possessed noun (uç) takes a possessive suffix.

Why is there no the or a before “drill bit” or “table”?

Turkish does not use articles like the or a. Definiteness is inferred from context or word order. So matkap ucu can mean “a drill bit” or “the drill bit,” and masada can mean “on a table” or “on the table,” depending on the situation.

What does the -da ending in masada indicate?

The suffix -da is the locative case, equivalent to “in/on/at” in English.
• masa = table
• -da (locative) = at/on
→ masada = “at the table” or “on the table.”

Why is it -da and not -ta in masada?

Locative alternates between -da/-de and -ta/-te based on the preceding sound:
• After vowels or voiced consonants → -da/-de
• After voiceless consonants → -ta/-te
masa ends in a vowel, so we use -da.

What does duruyor mean, and how is it formed?

duruyor is the 3rd person singular present continuous of durmak (“to stand; to be located; to stay”).
• Root: dur-
• Progressive suffix: -uyor (vowel harmony with u)
• No separate person suffix = 3rd person
So duruyor literally “is standing,” but for objects it conveys “is sitting/lying/located.”

Why use duruyor instead of var or just saying masada matkap ucu?

• Masada matkap ucu var = “There is a drill bit on the table,” focusing on existence.
• Masada matkap ucu duruyor = “The drill bit is (currently) positioned on the table,” emphasizing its physical state or posture.
• Masada matkap ucu alone is incomplete – Turkish requires a verb or copula-like element.

What is the word order in Matkap ucu masada duruyor, and can it change?

Basic order: Subject – Adverbial (locative) – Verb (S-Adv-V).
Here: matkap ucu (S) + masada (locative) + duruyor (V).
It’s flexible: Masada matkap ucu duruyor is also correct; word order can shift for emphasis without altering core meaning.

Could I say masanın üstünde instead of masada, and what’s the nuance?

Yes. masanın üstünde = “on top of the table.”
Structure: masa + genitive -nın (“of the table”) + üst (“top”) + locative -de.
• masada is more general “at/on the table” (even “at the table” as in sitting around it).
• masanın üstünde specifically means “on the surface of the table.”