Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor.

The extension cable is under the table.

Breakdown of Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor.

• masa: the table
• altında: under
• -ın: of
• durmak: to stand
• uzatma kablosu: the extension cable

Questions & Answers about Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor.

What does the verb form duruyor mean here, exactly?

In addition to “is standing,” duruyor commonly means “is (currently) sitting/lying/staying/located” for inanimate objects. So it states the extension cord’s present state/location, not that it is “stopping.”

Why use masanın altında instead of just “masa altında”?

With location nouns like alt (under), üst/üzeri (on), ön (front), arka (back), Turkish uses a genitive–possessive chain:

• masa-nın alt-ı-nda = table-GEN under-3SG.POSS-LOC → “under the table” The thing being referenced (alt) is treated as “the table’s underside,” then marked with the locative.

Why is it uzatma kablo-su and not “uzatma kablo”?

It’s an indefinite noun–noun compound. In this pattern, the second noun takes a 3rd person possessive suffix:

• uzatma kablo-su = “extension cable/cord” This is how Turkish forms many fixed noun compounds.

Does uzatma kablosu mean “the extension cord” or “an extension cord”?

Turkish has no articles. Specificity comes from context and word order:

• Sentence-initial subject + known context → often read as “the extension cord.”
• To make it clearly indefinite, use bir or place it after the verb:
  
  • Masanın altında bir uzatma kablosu duruyor. = “There’s an extension cord under the table.”

Could I use var instead of duruyor? What’s the difference?

Yes:

• Masanın altında uzatma kablosu var. states existence (“There is an extension cord under the table”), typically indefinite/new info.
• Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor. locates a specific, known cord (“The extension cord is under the table”) and sounds more like an answer to “Where is it?”

Is the word order fixed? Could I say “Masanın altında uzatma kablosu duruyor”?

Word order is flexible for topic/focus:

• Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor. Topic = cord; new info = its location.
• Masanın altında uzatma kablosu duruyor. Topic = place; new info = what’s there (still fine). Both are grammatical; choose based on what you’re emphasizing.

How do I ask “Is the extension cord under the table?”

Use the question particle mi/mı/mu/mü after the focused predicate:

• Uzatma kablosu masanın altında mı? You can also ask with the verb:
• Uzatma kablosu masanın altında duruyor mu? (slightly more “ongoing-state” feel)

How do I negate it?

Two common ways:

• Predicate negation: Uzatma kablosu masanın altında değil. = “The extension cord is not under the table.”
• Existential negation: Masanın altında uzatma kablosu yok. = “There isn’t an extension cord under the table.” Using durmuyor is possible but suggests “is not staying” and sounds less natural for simple location.

What’s the difference between altında, altına, and altından?

• altında (LOC) = “under/at the underside of”: location
• altına (DAT) = “to under/beneath”: motion toward
• altından (ABL) = “from under”: motion away
  Examples:
• Kablo masanın altında duruyor.
• Kablo masanın altına düştü.
• Kabroyu masanın altından aldım.

Can I drop the verb and just say “Uzatma kablosu masanın altında”?

Yes, especially in short answers or informal speech. The full sentence with duruyor (or var) is more complete/neutral in writing.

Is there any difference between üstünde and üzerinde (for “on the table”) compared to altında?

Both mean “on (top of)”:

• masanın üstünde is more colloquial.
• masanın üzerinde is slightly more formal/literary. For “under,” use masanın altında. These all follow the same genitive–possessive pattern.

How are the vowels and stress handled here?

• Dotless ı in masanın and altında is pronounced like a back, unrounded “uh.”
• duruyor uses the progressive -yor; stress typically falls on the syllable before -yor: du-RU-yor.
• In nouns, default stress is on the last syllable: masa-NIN, altın-DA.

Can you break the sentence down morphologically?

• uzatma kablo-su = extension cable-3SG.POSS (compound noun)
• masa-nın alt-ı-nda = table-GEN under-3SG.POSS-LOC
• dur-uyor = stay/stand-PROG.3SG
  Whole: “The extension cord is (staying/located) under the table.”

How do I make it plural?

• Uzatma kablo-lar-ı masanın altında duruyor. = “The extension cords are under the table.”
  Verb agreement with inanimate plurals is usually singular; duruyorlar is possible but less common unless the subject is animate.

Are there more formal alternatives to duruyor?

Yes:

• bulunuyor = “is located/found” (formal/neutral): Uzatma kablosu masanın altında bulunuyor.
• yer alıyor (very formal/written): … masanın altında yer alıyor.
  These do not change the basic meaning.