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Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor.

Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor.
Soapy water cleans the windows.

Breakdown of Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor.

su
the water
temizlemek
to clean
pencere
the window
sabunlu
soapy
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Questions & Answers about Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor.

What does the suffix -lu mean in sabunlu su?

The suffix -lu (with vowel-harmony variants -lı, -li, -lü) means “with” or “having.”

  • sabun = soap
  • sabun-lu = “with soap,” i.e. “soapy”
  • sabunlu su = “soapy water”
How can I tell which is the subject and which is the object in this sentence?

Turkish marks the direct object with the accusative suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü, while the subject in a simple sentence remains in the nominative (no suffix).

  • pencereleri = pencereler (windows) + accusative -i, so it’s the object (“the windows”)
  • sabunlu su has no case ending, so it’s the subject (“soapy water”)
Why is the verb temizliyor in the third person singular?

Because the subject sabunlu su is singular, the verb agrees with it. In Turkish you don’t need a separate pronoun if the ending makes the person clear. Here:

  • temizle- (stem “to clean”)
  • -iyor (present-continuous, 3rd p. sg. has no extra ending)
    → temizliyor = “(it) is cleaning”
How do you form the present continuous tense in Turkish?
  1. Take the verb stem (for temizlemek, the stem is temizle-)
  2. Add the progressive suffix -iyor/-ıyor/-üyor/-uyor (vowel harmony)
  3. Add the personal ending (only 1st and 2nd persons have distinct endings)
    Example for temizlemek:
    • 1 sg: temizliyorum (“I am cleaning”)
    • 3 sg: temizliyor (“he/she/it is cleaning”)
Why is the word order Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor instead of something else?

Turkish follows SOV (Subject–Object–Verb). Here:

  • Subject: Sabunlu su
  • Object: pencereleri
  • Verb: temizliyor
Why is pencereleri not just pencereler?

When you talk about specific, definite windows (not just “windows in general”), you add the accusative marker -i after the plural -ler:

  • pencereler = “windows” (general, indefinite)
  • pencereleri = “the windows” (definite, direct object)
If I want to say “I clean the windows with soapy water,” how would I phrase it?

You would introduce yourself as the agent and use ile for “with”:
Sabunlu su ile pencereleri temizliyorum.

  • Sabunlu su ile = “with soapy water”
  • pencereleri = “the windows” (accusative)
  • temizliyorum = “I am cleaning”
What’s the difference between this active sentence and a passive construction?

Active: Sabunlu su pencereleri temizliyor.

  • Subject (soapy water) does the action.
    Passive: Pencereler temizleniyor.
  • No explicit agent; “The windows are being cleaned.”
Why aren’t there articles like “a” or “the” in Turkish?

Turkish has no separate words for “a/an/the.”

  • Definiteness is shown by context and by adding the accusative suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü to direct objects.
  • Indefiniteness can be implied or reinforced by words like bir (“one/a”), e.g. bir pencere = “a window.”