Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kalemleri koliden çıkarıp masaya koyar mısın? - Can you take the pens out of the box and put them on the table?

It’s plural plus the definite object marker: kalem-ler-i = “the pens/pencils” (specific ones). Note: kalemleri can also mean “his/her/their pens” (3rd-person possessive), but here the context clearly uses the accusative of a known set.

Why is the object (kalemleri) placed at the beginning?

Turkish is flexible, but the neutral pattern is object + other phrases + verb. Starting with kalemleri topicalizes/emphasizes “the pens.” You could also say: Koliden kalemleri çıkarıp masaya koyar mısın? The meaning stays the same; the emphasis shifts slightly.

What exactly is koliden and why that ending?

koli-den = “from the box.” The suffix -den/-dan/-ten/-tan is the ablative (“from”). Because koli ends in a vowel and is front-vowelled, you get -den. Also, koli is a cardboard shipping box; a more generic “box” is kutu (e.g., kutudan = “from the box”).

Why masaya and not masada?

masa-ya is the dative (“to/toward”) used with verbs of placement like koymak. Masada is locative (“at/on the table”). To emphasize “onto the top,” you can say masanın üstüne (also dative).

What does çıkarıp mean, and what is the role of -ıp?

It’s the converb -ıp/-ip/-up/-üp, which links actions with the same subject: “(by) taking out … and (then) put ….” You don’t need ve here. It implies sequence and smoothness: first remove, then put.

Can I say çıkartıp instead of çıkarıp?

Yes. çıkarmak and çıkartmak are both used in everyday Turkish. çıkarmak is slightly more standard, but both are accepted.

Why is it koyar mısın (aorist) instead of a simple imperative?

The aorist + question (-ar/-er + mı/mi…) is a common polite request: “Would you …?” It’s more polite than the bare imperative (Koy!) and less about ability than koyabilir misin? (“Can you?”).

What is mısın, and why is mi written separately?

mi/mı/mu/mü is the question particle; it’s a separate word that follows vowel harmony. Personal endings attach to it: mı-sın (2nd singular). So it’s written as koyar mısın, not “koyarmısın.”

How do I add “please” naturally?

Either position is fine:

Lütfen kalemleri koliden çıkarıp masaya koyar mısın?
Kalemleri koliden çıkarıp masaya koyar mısın, lütfen?

How do I make it more formal or more direct?

More formal/polite: … koyar mısınız? (2nd person plural/formal)
More direct (less polite): … koy. (bare imperative)
Very soft/polite: combine with lütfen.

What’s the difference between koyar mısın? and koyabilir misin?

koyar mısın? = polite request (“Would you put …?”).
koyabilir misin? = asks about ability/possibility (“Can you put …?”). Both can function as polite requests; koyar mısın feels slightly more neutral/request-like.

Why not use çıkmak instead of çıkarmak?

çıkmak is intransitive (“to go/come out”). çıkarmak is transitive (“to take [something] out”), which you need here because you’re removing the pens.

What case does each noun have, and why?

kalem-ler-i: accusative (definite direct object of “remove/put”).
koli-den: ablative (“from,” source of removal).
masa-ya: dative (“to,” target of placement).

Why is there a y in masaya?

Buffer consonant. masa + -a (dative) would yield two vowels together, so Turkish inserts y: masaya.

Could kalemleri mean “their pens” here?

It could in other contexts, since kalemleri can be “his/her/their pens.” If you meant that explicitly as an object, you’d usually say onların kalemlerini or onun kalemlerini. In this sentence, the reading “the pens” (definite object) is the natural one.

Can I omit kalemleri if context makes it clear?

Yes: Koliden çıkarıp masaya koyar mısın? works if “them” is obvious from context. Otherwise, keeping kalemleri avoids ambiguity.

Does kalem mean “pen” or “pencil”?

It’s a generic “writing instrument.” To be specific:

kurşun kalem = pencil
tükenmez kalem = ballpoint pen
dolma kalem = fountain pen

Any quick pronunciation/spelling tips?

The question particle is separate: koyar mısın (not “koyarmısın”).
Vowel harmony: mı (not mu/mi/mü) because the last vowel of koyar is a.
Ablative alternates: after voiceless consonants it’s -tan/-ten (e.g., kitaptan), but after a vowel like koli, it’s -den → koliden.