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Questions & Answers about Ahşap kapı yavaşça açılıyor.
What does ahşap mean exactly in ahşap kapı?
ahşap is an adjective meaning wooden. It comes from a Turkish word of Arabic origin and is used just like English “wooden” before a noun (e.g. ahşap masa = wooden table, ahşap ev = wooden house).
Why is yavaşça used instead of just yavaş?
yavaş on its own is an adjective meaning “slow.” Adding the suffix -ça (or -ce/ -ça/ -ce depending on vowel harmony) turns many adjectives into adverbs. So yavaşça means slowly. Without -ça, yavaş would not function as an adverb here.
Could I say yavaş yavaş açılıyor instead of yavaşça açılıyor?
Yes. yavaş yavaş is a common idiomatic way to say “slowly” or “little by little.” It emphasizes gradual action, similar to yavaşça, though a bit more colloquial.
What is the difference between açmak and açılmak?
- açmak is the active verb “to open (something).”
- açılmak is the passive/middle form “to be opened” or “to open (by itself).”
Since the door isn’t doing the opening, Turkish uses açıl- to show passive voice.
How is the passive formed in açılıyor, and what does the -l do?
- Start with the root aç- (open).
- Add the passive suffix -l- → açıl-.
- Add the progressive -ıyor- → açılıyor-.
- Add the zero ending for third-person singular (no extra suffix).
So açılıyor literally means “is being opened” or “opens (on its own).”
What tense/aspect is açılıyor?
It’s the present continuous passive. The -ıyor- part marks the ongoing (continuous) aspect, and the -l- before it marks passive voice.
Why isn’t there a subject or agent mentioned?
In passive sentences in Turkish, the doer of the action is often omitted or left unspecified. The focus is on what’s being acted upon—in this case, kapı (the door).
How do I know kapı is the subject and not the object?
In a passive construction, the thing receiving the action stays in the nominative (unmarked) case. If this were an active sentence and kapı were the object, it would take the accusative suffix -ı (kapıyı). Here it has no suffix, so it’s the subject/patient of a passive verb.
Can I move the adverb yavaşça around in the sentence?
Yes, Turkish word order is relatively flexible. You could say:
- Yavaşça ahşap kapı açılıyor.
- Ahşap kapı açılıyor yavaşça.
However, the most neutral order is Subject – Adverb – Verb as in the original.