Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdim.

I took the jacket to the dry cleaner.

Breakdown of Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdim.

• vermek: to give
• ceket: the jacket
• kuru temizleme: the dry cleaner

Questions & Answers about Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdim.

What does the -i on ceketi indicate?

It marks the direct object as definite (accusative). Turkish uses -(y)ı/-(y)i/-(y)u/-(y)ü to show a specific/known object. Since ceket has the front vowel e, it takes -i: ceket + i → ceket-i = “the jacket.” Without -i (just ceket), it would typically mean “a jacket.”

Could ceketi also mean “his/her jacket”?

Yes, as a nominative possessed form: ceket-i = “his/her jacket” (e.g., Ceketi kirli. “His/Her jacket is dirty.”). But as a direct object with that meaning, it would be ceketini (possessive + accusative). In this sentence, ceketi is the definite accusative “the jacket.”

Why is kuru temizlemeye in the dative case?

The dative -e/-a expresses direction/goal (“to/toward/for”). Here it’s “to the dry cleaners/for dry cleaning.” It’s kuru temizleme + -e. Because temizleme ends in a vowel, Turkish inserts the buffer consonant y: temizleme + y + e → temizlemeye. Vowel harmony chooses -e because the last vowel of temizleme is e.

Why does the case suffix attach to temizleme and not to kuru?

In noun compounds like kuru temizleme (“dry cleaning”), grammatical suffixes attach to the head (the rightmost noun), so you mark temizleme: kuru temizleme-ye, not kuru-ya.

Is kuru temizlemeye vermek an idiom?

Yes. It’s a common collocation meaning “to give/drop (something) to the dry cleaners” or “to give (it) for dry cleaning.” It’s the natural way to say you handed it in for that service.

Could I say kuru temizlemeciye instead?

Yes. Kuru temizlemeci = “dry cleaner” (the person/shop). Ceketi kuru temizlemeciye verdim emphasizes the person/place. …kuru temizlemeye verdim emphasizes the service. Both are normal.

Would bırakmak or götürmek be more natural than vermek?

All are common, with slight nuance:

• …bıraktım = “I left/dropped it off,” very natural for this context.
• …götürdüm = “I took it (there),” focusing on the act of taking.
• …verdim = “I gave/handed it over,” neutral and perfectly fine.

How is verdim built morphologically?

ver- (give) + -di- (past) + -m (1st person singular) → verdim = “I gave.” Turkish is pro-drop, so the verb ending already encodes “I”; you only add ben for emphasis/contrast.

Is the word order here typical? Could I swap the order?

Turkish word order is flexible. The element immediately before the verb is often the focus.

• Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdim tends to focus “to the dry cleaners” (not to the tailor, say).
• Kuru temizlemeye ceketi verdim would put focus on “the jacket” (not the trousers). Both are grammatical; you choose based on what you want to highlight.

How would I say “a jacket” instead of “the jacket”?

Make the object indefinite by removing the accusative -i:

• Kuru temizlemeye ceket verdim. = “I gave a jacket to the dry cleaners.” You can also add bir: Kuru temizlemeye bir ceket verdim. Avoid bir ceketi unless you literally mean “one (specific) jacket.”

If I mean “my jacket,” how does the object change?

Add the 1st person possessive and then the accusative:

• ceket
  • -im (my) → ceketim
• ceketim
  • -i (acc.) → ceketimi Full sentence: Ceketimi kuru temizlemeye verdim.

Why is there a y in temizlemeye?

It’s a buffer consonant to prevent a vowel clash. When a noun ends in a vowel and the suffix begins with a vowel, Turkish inserts y (or sometimes s/n with other suffix types). Hence temizleme + y + e.

Does the final consonant in ceket soften (t → d) before -i?

No. The accepted form is ceketi (with t). Some Turkish words undergo softening (p→b, t→d, k→ğ, ç→c) when a vowel-initial suffix is added (e.g., kitap → kitabı, kanat → kanadı), but many loanwords like ceket and market do not: ceketi, marketi.

Why is there no separate word for “to,” like in English?

Turkish uses case suffixes instead of prepositions. The dative -e/-a covers “to/toward/for” depending on context. Here it’s direction/purpose: “to/for dry cleaning.”

Is it spelled with C or Ç? How do I pronounce ceket?

It’s spelled with C (no cedilla). Turkish c sounds like English “j” in “jacket,” so ceket sounds like “jeket.” Ç would be “ch,” which is not used here.

What would the locative (-de/-da) mean here?

The locative marks location (“at/in”). For example, Kuru temizlemede means “at the dry cleaners.” You wouldn’t use it with vermek for “give to,” but it works with verbs like “forget/leave”: Ceketi kuru temizlemede unuttum = “I forgot the jacket at the dry cleaners.”

How do I form a question like “Did you give the jacket to the dry cleaners?”

Use the question particle mi and the correct person ending:

• Informal singular: Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdin mi?
• Polite/plural: Ceketi kuru temizlemeye verdiniz mi?

Can the dative here also imply purpose (“for” dry cleaning)?

Yes. The dative often overlaps “to” and “for.” …kuru temizlemeye verdim is naturally understood as “I gave it to the dry cleaners for dry cleaning,” bundling destination and purpose.