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Kalem masanın üstünde.

Kalem masanın üstünde.
The pen is on the table.
FromLesson 70inHardcore Turkish
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Breakdown of Kalem masanın üstünde.

olmak
to be
kalem
the pen
masa
the table
üstünde
on

Questions & Answers about Kalem masanın üstünde.

Why is there no verb like is in the sentence Kalem masanın üstünde?
In Turkish simple‐present equational or locative sentences, the copula “to be” is omitted. You just state the subject and its location. So Kalem masanın üstünde literally reads “Pen table-GEN top-LOC,” i.e. “The pen is on the table.”
Why is masa changed to masanın?
masanın is the genitive (possessor) form of masa. You add the genitive suffix -nın/-nin/-nun/-nün (here -nın by vowel harmony) to show “of the table.” In a genitive–locative construction like masanın üstünde, the possessor takes the genitive case.
What does üstünde break down into?

üstünde =
üst (top)

  • 3rd-person singular possessive suffix -ü (“its top”/“the top of it”)
  • locative case suffix -nde (“on/in”).
    Altogether it means “on top of (it),” so masanın üstünde = “on top of the table.”
Why is there an n in üstünde before the -de?
When you attach the locative suffix -de to a noun already carrying a possessive suffix (here -ü), you insert an n as a buffer. Thus -de becomes -nde in üst+ü+nde.
Could I say Kalem masada instead of Kalem masanın üstünde?

Yes. Kalem masada (literally “Pen table-LOC”) means “The pen is on the table.”
masada is more general “on the table,” while masanın üstünde specifically means “on top of the table.”

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

Simply: Kalem nerede? (“Pen where-LOC?”)
And to confirm “Is the pen on the table?” you add the question particle: Kalem masanın üstünde mi?

How do you say “There is a pen on the table”?

Use var for existence: Masanın üstünde bir kalem var.
Here bir is the indefinite article “a,” and var means “there is.”

Why doesn’t Turkish have “a” or “the” like English?
Turkish has no dedicated definite article. Bare nouns can be definite or indefinite by context. To make a noun explicitly indefinite, you use bir (“a”), but there is no direct equivalent of “the.”
How would you say “My pen is on the table”?

Attach a 1st-person possessive to kalem: Kalemim masanın üstünde.
You could also say Benim kalemim masanın üstünde for extra emphasis.

How do you make the sentence past tense, e.g. “The pen was on the table”?

Add the past copula -ydi to the locative phrase: Kalem masanın üstündeydi.
Here -eydi is the past form of “to be.”

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