Ambalaj kâğıdı masada duruyor.

The packaging paper is on the table.

Breakdown of Ambalaj kâğıdı masada duruyor.

• olmak: to be
• masa: the table
• -da: on
• ambalaj kâğıdı: the packaging paper

Questions & Answers about Ambalaj kâğıdı masada duruyor.

What does Ambalaj kâğıdı literally mean and how is this noun compound formed?

Ambalaj kâğıdı literally means packaging paper. Turkish often forms noun–noun compounds by adding a third-person singular possessive suffix to the second noun. Here’s how it works:
• ambalaj (packaging) + kâğıt (paper)
• kâğıt takes -ı → kâğıdı
So you get “paper of packaging,” i.e. packaging paper.

Why does kâğıt have the suffix -ı (as in kâğıdı) instead of remaining kâğıt?

The suffix -ı is the third-person singular possessive marker. In compounds, Turkish marks the second noun with a possessive suffix to show a relationship to the first noun. It also makes the compound definite, indicating “the paper belonging to packaging.”

What case is masada, and how is it formed?

masada is the locative case, meaning on the table. It’s formed by adding -da to masa (table). Two rules apply:
• Vowel harmony: a follows the back vowel a in masa.
• Consonant choice: Since masa ends in a vowel, the suffix keeps its voiced form d (not t).

Why is the verb duruyor used here instead of a simple “to be” verb?

Turkish doesn’t use a standalone “to be” in most present-tense contexts. Instead, the verb durmak (to stand/stay) in the present continuous (duruyor) often expresses a static location or state.
So Ambalaj kâğıdı masada duruyor. literally reads “The packaging paper is standing on the table,” i.e. is lying/placed on the table.

Why is there no subject pronoun before duruyor?

Turkish typically omits subject pronouns when they’re clear from context. Here, the subject is Ambalaj kâğıdı, so adding o (he/she/it) isn’t needed. The verb ending plus word order already tell you who or what is doing the action.

How would you ask “Where is the packaging paper?” in Turkish?

You can say either:
• Ambalaj kâğıdı nerede?
• Ambalaj kâğıdı nerede duruyor?
Both mean Where is the packaging paper? The verb duruyor can be included or dropped.