Yokuş aşağı inerken dikkat et, kaplumbağa var.

Yokuş aşağı inerken dikkat et, kaplumbağa var.
Be careful going downhill; there is a tortoise.
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Questions & Answers about Yokuş aşağı inerken dikkat et, kaplumbağa var.

What exactly does the phrase in bold mean: yokuş aşağı?
  • It’s a set adverbial phrase meaning downhill / down a slope.
  • Literally: yokuş = slope/hill; aşağı = down/downwards.
  • The opposite is yokuş yukarı = uphill.
  • Example: Yokuş aşağı koştum. = I ran downhill.
Why is it inerken and not iniyorken? Are both correct?
  • Both exist, with a nuance:
    • inerken uses the aorist stem + -ken and means “while going down” in a general, overlapping-time sense. It’s the most neutral/standard in time-clauses.
    • iniyorken uses the present progressive + -ken and puts more focus on the action as an ongoing process at that specific moment.
  • In warnings/instructions like this, inerken is the natural choice.
How is the -ken form built with verbs like inmek?
  • For verbs, take the aorist (simple present) stem and add -ken:
    • gel-ir-ken → gelirken (while coming)
    • yap-ar-ken → yaparken (while doing)
    • in-er-ken → inerken (while going down)
  • For nouns/adjectives, attach -(y)ken directly:
    • çocukken (when I was a child), yoldayken (while on the road), meşgulken (while busy).
Could I say inince instead of inerken?
  • -ince/-ınca means “when/once (something happens)”—a point or result in time.
  • İnince dikkat et would mean “Be careful once you’re down,” which is not the intended meaning.
  • İnerken dikkat et means “Be careful while you’re descending,” which matches the warning.
What’s the difference between dikkat et and dikkatli ol?
  • dikkat et = “pay attention / be careful (right now).” It’s a direct, common imperative.
  • dikkatli ol = “be careful” as a state/quality; slightly gentler or more general.
  • Both are fine here, but dikkat et sounds more immediate/urgent.
Who is the subject here, and how do I make it plural or polite?
  • Imperatives in Turkish omit the subject; here it’s implied sen (you, singular).
  • Plural/polite:
    • Dikkat edin (standard polite/plural)
    • Dikkat ediniz (more formal)
  • You can include Sen for emphasis/contrast: Sen yokuş aşağı inerken dikkat et (You be careful while going downhill).
Why is there no bir before kaplumbağa? Shouldn’t it be “a turtle”?
  • In existential sentences with var, Turkish often omits bir for an indefinite singular. Kaplumbağa var already implies “there is a turtle.”
  • Adding bir (→ Bir kaplumbağa var) can add a nuance of “one/certain turtle,” making it a bit more specific or emphatic. Both are acceptable; the neutral warning usually drops bir.
How do I make questions and negatives with var? What about vardır?
  • Negative: yok → Kaplumbağa yok (There isn’t a turtle).
  • Yes–no question: add mi → Kaplumbağa var mı?
  • Past: vardı / yoktu; Reported: varmış / yokmuş.
  • vardır adds formality or an assertive tone (often for general truths): Burada kaplumbağa vardır (There are indeed turtles here).
Is the comma necessary? Could I change the order?
  • The comma separates the imperative from the statement. It’s natural and helpful.
  • Word order is flexible:
    • Dikkat et, kaplumbağa var. (original)
    • Kaplumbağa var, dikkat et. (puts the reason first)
    • Yokuş aşağı inerken dikkat et. Kaplumbağa var. (two sentences)
  • Using çünkü after an imperative is uncommon. Prefer the comma or put the reason first.
What’s the difference between yokuş aşağı, yokuştan aşağı, and aşağı/aşağıya?
  • yokuş aşağı: set adverbial for “downhill.” Very common and idiomatic.
  • yokuştan aşağı: adds the ablative -dan (“down from the slope”), emphasizing movement from the top. Also common.
  • aşağı vs aşağıya:
    • aşağı can function as an adverb “down(wards),” often fine by itself.
    • aşağıya explicitly marks direction (to down/below). In yokuş aşağı, speakers typically don’t add -ya.
Is aşağı yokuş possible?
  • Not in this meaning. The idiomatic order is yokuş aşağı for “downhill” and yokuş yukarı for “uphill.”
How do I explicitly mark different subjects with -ken clauses?
  • If the -ken clause has a different subject, say it:
    • Sen yokuş aşağı inerken, ben yolu kontrol edeceğim. (While you go downhill, I’ll check the road.)
  • If you don’t specify a subject, it’s assumed to be the same as the main clause’s subject.
Any pronunciation tips, especially for kaplumbağa and ğ?
  • ğ (yumuşak g) doesn’t make a hard “g” sound; it lengthens the preceding vowel or creates a smooth glide.
  • kaplumbağa is roughly “kap-lum-baa.” The final -ğa is not pronounced like “ga”; you’ll hear a long “a.”
How do I say “going uphill” instead?
  • Use yokuş yukarı:
    • Yokuş yukarı çıkarken dikkat et, kaplumbağa var. = Be careful while going uphill; there’s a turtle.
Is yokuş in any particular case here?
  • No. In yokuş aşağı, yokuş is bare (no case suffix). The whole phrase functions adverbially (“downhill”). If you add -dan (→ yokuştan), you explicitly mark “from the slope/top.”