Terlikler kapının yanında duruyor.

The slippers are by the door.

Breakdown of Terlikler kapının yanında duruyor.

• kapı: the door
• -ın: of
• durmak: to stand
• terlik: the slipper
• yanında: by

Questions & Answers about Terlikler kapının yanında duruyor.

Can you break the sentence down morphologically?

• Terlik-ler = slipper-PL
• kapı-nın = door-GEN
• yan-ı-n-da = side-3SG.POSS-LOC (literally: “on its side”)
• dur-uyor = stand/stay-PROG

Literal structure: “Slippers door-GEN side-POSS-LOC are-standing.”

What does the plural suffix -ler in terlikler do, and is it required?

It marks the noun as plural: terlikler = “slippers.” You use it when you mean more than one slipper (often a pair). Turkish doesn’t have articles, so terlikler can mean “the slippers” or just “slippers,” depending on context. After numerals and quantifiers, you don’t use the plural: iki terlik (two slippers), not ❌iki terlikler.

Does terlikler mean “the slippers” specifically?

Context decides definiteness in Turkish. Terlikler can be:

• Specific/definite: “the slippers (we both know about)”
• Generic/plural: “slippers” in general

Your sentence most naturally reads as definite in a typical home context.

Why is the verb singular (duruyor) even though terlikler is plural?

In Turkish, third-person plural subjects often take a singular verb, especially with non-human subjects. So Terlikler … duruyor is the default. Plural agreement on the verb is generally used with human subjects or for emphasis.

Can I say duruyorlar here?

You can, but with inanimate subjects like slippers, duruyor sounds more natural. Duruyorlar isn’t ungrammatical; it may sound marked or overly emphatic in this context.

What exactly does duruyor mean here? Doesn’t durmak also mean “to stop”?

Yes, durmak means both “to stop” and “to stand/stay/remain (in place).” Here, duruyor means “are (sitting/lying) there, staying put.” Turkish uses durmak broadly for objects that are simply there and not moving.

Why is it kapı-nın yanında? What’s going on with the cases?

Many “spatial postpositions” in Turkish are built from possessed nouns and require the complement in the genitive:

• kapı-nın yan-ı-n-da = “at the side of the door”
  • kapı (door) + -nın (GEN)
  • yan-ı (its side; 3SG possessive)
  • -n- (linking consonant)
  • -da (locative)

Could I say kapı yanında without the genitive?

In normal speech, no. You need the genitive + possessed structure: kapının yanı(nda). Bare kapı yanı can appear in headlines or notes as shorthand, but it’s not the standard neutral form in a sentence.

How do case changes alter the meaning with yan?

• kapı-nın yan-ı-n-da = at/by the side of the door (location)
• kapı-nın yan-ı-na = to the side of the door (motion toward)
• kapı-nın yan-ı-ndan = from the side of the door (motion away)

What’s the difference between kapının yanında and kapıda?

• kapının yanında = beside/next to the door (near it)
• kapıda = at/on the door (right at the door itself, like at the doorway or attached area)

How is this different from using var? For example, Kapının yanında terlik var.

• Terlikler kapının yanında duruyor: specific slippers already known to both speaker and listener; they’re there, staying put.
• Kapının yanında terlik var: existential; “there are slippers next to the door” (introducing their presence, indefinite). Negative is yok.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, Turkish allows flexibility for emphasis:

• Terlikler kapının yanında duruyor. (neutral; subject first)
• Kapının yanında terlikler duruyor. (emphasis on location)
• Kapının yanında duruyor terlikler. (stronger focus on location; more marked) Meaning doesn’t change, but focus does.

How do I pronounce the tricky vowels and endings here?

• ı (dotless i) in kapının, yanında: a close back unrounded vowel [ɯ], not like English “i.” Keep your lips unrounded, tongue high/back.
• -yor in duruyor: pronounced “yor” as a single syllable [jor]; u is [u] as in “rule.” So: du-ru-yor.

What are those linking letters in yanında and duruyor?

• yan-ı-n-da: the -n- is a linking consonant used before certain case suffixes when the word ends in a vowel (here after the 3rd person possessive -ı).
• dur-uyor: the progressive is -(I)yor; the vowel u appears due to vowel harmony and to create a smooth transition to -yor.

How do I say “a pair of slippers” or “two pairs of slippers” here?

• “a pair of slippers”: bir çift terlik
• “two pairs of slippers”: iki çift terlik Examples:
• Kapının yanında bir çift terlik duruyor/var.
• Kapının yanında iki çift terlik duruyor/var.

Are there synonyms or related postpositions I could use instead of yanında?

Yes, depending on nuance:

• yakınında (near/close to), dibinde (right next to), önünde (in front of), arkasında (behind), üstünde (on), altında (under), içinde (in), dışında (outside), karşısında (opposite), arasında (between).

How would I ask “Where are the slippers?” and answer with this location?

• Question: Terlikler nerede?
• Answer: Kapının yanında (duruyor). (You can often omit the verb in short answers.)