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Otobüs kalkmak üzere, çabuk gel!

Otobüs kalkmak üzere, çabuk gel!
The bus is about to depart, come quickly!
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Questions & Answers about Otobüs kalkmak üzere, çabuk gel!

What does kalkmak üzere literally mean, and how is it different from kalkacak or kalkıyor?

It literally means about to depart or on the verge of departing. It emphasizes imminence—something is expected to happen within moments. By contrast:

  • kalkacak = will depart (future; could be soon or later, often timetable-like).
  • kalkıyor = is departing/leaving (in progress or very soon; more neutral than the “any second now” feel of -mek üzere).
Is üzere a suffix or a separate word? How do you form this structure?
Üzere is a postposition, not a suffix. You form it with the infinitive + üzere: [verb stem] + -mek/-mak + üzere (vowel harmony picks -mek or -mak). In this sentence: kalk-mak üzere.
Why is there no explicit “is/are” in Otobüs kalkmak üzere? Is the sentence complete?
Turkish often omits the verb “to be” in the present tense for third person. Otobüs kalkmak üzere is a complete sentence with a nominal predicate, essentially “The bus (is) about to leave.”
Can I add personal endings to say “I’m/We’re about to …,” like -yim/-yiz?

Yes. Attach the personal copula to the predicate:

  • Çıkmak üzereyim. = I’m about to leave.
  • Başlamak üzereyiz. = We’re about to start.
  • Düşmek üzeresin. = You’re about to fall.
How do I put this in the past or report it (evidential)?

Add copular tense/evidential markers to the predicate:

  • Past: Otobüs kalkmak üzereydi. = The bus was about to leave.
  • Reported/hearsay: Otobüs kalkmak üzereymiş. = (Apparently) the bus was/is about to leave.
  • Formal certainty: Otobüs kalkmak üzeredir.
Does üzere also mean “for the purpose of”? Is that the same üzere?

Yes, the same üzere has a purposive use: X-mek üzere = “in order to X.” That’s different from the imminent meaning.

  • Imminent: Otobüs kalkmak üzere. = It’s about to depart.
  • Purpose: Toplantıya katılmak üzere Ankara’ya gitti. = He went to Ankara to attend the meeting.
Why is there a comma before çabuk gel!? Could it be a period or semicolon?
The comma separates two independent clauses, the first giving the reason and the second an imperative. A period or semicolon would also be fine: Otobüs kalkmak üzere. Çabuk gel! or Otobüs kalkmak üzere; çabuk gel!
Is çabuk gel! impolite? How can I soften or make it formal?

It’s direct and informal (2nd person singular). Softer or more formal options:

  • Lütfen çabuk gelir misin? (informal polite)
  • Lütfen çabuk gelir misiniz? (formal/polite or plural)
  • Çabuk gelin! (imperative plural/formal)
What’s the difference among çabuk, çabucak, hemen, and acele et?
  • çabuk = quickly; used before imperatives: Çabuk gel!
  • çabucak = very quickly/in no time (more colloquial/emphatic).
  • hemen = immediately/right away (focus on immediacy).
  • acele et = hurry up (literally “make haste”), not a manner adverb.
Why use kalkmak for a bus? Doesn’t it mean “to stand up”?
Kalkmak does mean “to get up,” but with vehicles it also means “to depart.” It’s very common for buses, trains, planes, etc. Synonyms include hareket etmek (to move/depart). Related nouns: kalkış (departure).
Can I move çabuk elsewhere, like Gel çabuk!?
Yes. Çabuk gel! and Gel çabuk! are both fine. Çabuk gel! is a bit more natural and urgent; Gel çabuk! can sound slightly less crisp but is still common.
Can I say -mek üzereyken to mean “when (someone) was about to …”?

Yes. -mek üzereyken means “when (just) about to …”

  • Otobüs kalkmak üzereyken yetiştik. = We made it just as the bus was about to leave.
How do I negate or question this idea (e.g., “Is the bus about to leave?” “It’s not about to leave.”)?
  • Question: Otobüs kalkmak üzere mi?
  • Negation: Otobüs kalkmak üzere değil. In practice, you might also hear: Otobüs henüz kalkmıyor or Daha kalkmayacak (not leaving yet).
What are close paraphrases in Turkish to express the same urgency?
  • Otobüs az sonra kalkacak.
  • Otobüs neredeyse kalkıyor/kalkacak.
  • Otobüs birazdan kalkıyor. These are all near-synonyms, with -mek üzere sounding the most “any second now.”
Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?
  • otobüs: “o-to-BÜS” (final stress; ü like French “u” or German “ü”).
  • kalkmak: “kalk-MAK” (final stress; clear hard k).
  • üzere: “ü-ZE-re” (stress often on the second syllable).
  • çabuk: “ça-BUK” (final stress; ç like “ch” in “chop”).
  • gel: hard g as in “get.”
Can you break the sentence down morphologically?
  • Otobüs = bus (subject)
  • kalk-mak = to depart/leave (infinitive)
  • üzere = about to / on the verge of; also “for the purpose of” in other contexts
  • çabuk = quickly
  • gel = come (2nd person singular imperative)