Kedi kapıyı tırmalayıp duruyor; kapıyı açayım.

The cat keeps scratching the door; let me open it.

Breakdown of Kedi kapıyı tırmalayıp duruyor; kapıyı açayım.

• kedi: the cat
• kapı: the door
• açmak: to open
• -yı: accusative
• tırmalayıp durmak: to keep scratching

Questions & Answers about Kedi kapıyı tırmalayıp duruyor; kapıyı açayım.

What nuance does ırmalayıp duruyor add compared to plain ırmalıyor?

ırmalıyor = is scratching (right now). ırmalayıp duruyor = keeps on scratching, won’t quit scratching (repetitive, ongoing, often a bit annoying).

How is ırmalayıp duruyor built morphologically?

• ırmala- = scratch, claw
• -(y)Ip = converb meaning and (then) / doing X and…
• dur- = stay/stand, but as an auxiliary here it marks persistence/continuation
• -uyor = present continuous Together: ırmala + yıp + dur + uyor → ırmalayıp duruyor = keeps scratching.

Does duruyor mean is standing here?

No. With the -(y)Ip converb, durmak functions as an aspectual auxiliary: ıp durmak means to keep doing something. If you literally mean stand, you would not use the ıp construction.

Why is kapıyı in the accusative?

Because the door is a specific, definite object. Turkish marks definite direct objects with the accusative (-ı/-i/-u/-ü). Here, the cat is scratching the (contextually known) door, so kapıyı is required.

How is kapıyı formed, and why is there a y?

kapı + -(y)I → kapıyı.

• Buffer y appears because the noun ends in a vowel.
• Vowel harmony picks -ı after the back vowel a/ı in kapı.

Could it be kapıya or kapıda instead of kapıyı?

No for this verb. ırmalamak takes a direct object (accusative) in Turkish: kapıyı ırmalamak = scratch the door.

• kapıya (dative) would mean toward the door.
• kapıda (locative) would mean at/on the door.
  Those would not be the normal complements of ırmalamak.

Why repeat kapıyı in the second clause? Could I omit it or use a pronoun?

Repeating kapıyı is natural and clear. You can omit it: ırmalayıp duruyor; açayım. That’s fine in context. Using onu (him/her/it) is grammatically fine (Onu açayım), but onu could be ambiguous (cat or door) without context; repeating kapıyı avoids ambiguity.

What exactly does açayım express?

It’s the first-person singular optative/voluntative: aç- + -A(y)Im → açayım = Let me open (it) / I’ll open (then). It signals a self-offer or decision made on the spot, often reacting to a situation.

How do I say Shall I open the door?

• Kapıyı açayım mı? = Shall I open the door? (neutral/polite offer)
• Kapıyı açsam mı? = What if I opened the door? (softer, sounding out the idea)

What’s the difference between açayım, açarım, açıyorum, and açacağım?

• açayım: Let me open (voluntative/offer/decision now).
• açarım: I’ll open (firm statement, promise/plan; also habitual in other contexts).
• açıyorum: I’m opening (right now, in progress).
• açacağım: I will open (future intention/plan).

Could I add ben? As in Ben kapıyı açayım?

Yes. Subject pronouns are usually dropped because the verb ending shows person. Adding ben emphasizes I (e.g., Let me do it).

Is ırmalayıp duruyor colloquial? What are neutral/formal alternatives?

It’s common and slightly colloquial, with an annoyed flavor. Neutral alternatives:

• ırmalamaya devam ediyor = is continuing to scratch
• durmadan ırmalıyor = is scratching nonstop
• bir türlü ırmalamayı bırakmıyor = just won’t stop scratching

Can I change the word order?

Core order is Subject–Object–Verb: Kedi kapıyı ırmalayıp duruyor.
You can front elements for focus:

• Kapıyı kedi ırmalayıp duruyor (focus on kedi, sounds contrastive: it’s the cat that keeps scratching the door).
• Kapıyı ırmalayıp duruyor kedi (marked, poetic or emphatic).
  The neutral, everyday choice is the original order.

Is kedi definite here even without any suffix?

Yes, subjects aren’t case-marked for definiteness in Turkish. Context makes kedi definite (the cat). If you wanted to introduce an indefinite new cat, you’d often use bir: Bir kedi…