Learn Hardcore Turkish: Tezgâhı bezle siliyorum. - I am wiping the counter with a cloth.

It’s the accusative case marker that shows the direct object is definite/specific: tezgâh-ı = “the counter.”
Without it, the object is indefinite: Tezgâh siliyorum = “I’m wiping a/one counter (unspecified).”
Because the last vowel of tezgâh is a (a back vowel), vowel harmony selects -ı (not -i).

Why does the sentence start with the object? Isn’t Turkish SOV?

Turkish is verb-final, but the parts before the verb are flexible. Tezgâhı bezle comes before siliyorum naturally. You could also say:

Bezle tezgâhı siliyorum.
Ben tezgâhı bezle siliyorum. (adds emphasis on “I”) All are fine; word order can reflect topicalization or focus, but the verb stays last in neutral statements.

What does -le in bezle mean?

It’s the clitic/postposition ile (“with”) fused onto the noun: bez + ile → bezle. It marks the instrument or accompaniment: “with a cloth.”

Can I write bez ile instead of bezle?

Yes. Both bezle and bez ile are correct. The fused form (-le/-la) is more common in speech. With pronouns, you’ll usually see forms like benimle, onunla.

Does Bezi siliyorum mean the same thing?

No. Bezi siliyorum = “I’m wiping the cloth” (the cloth is the direct object).
In our sentence, bezle is instrumental: “with a cloth.” If you want “with that cloth,” say o bezle (not bezi, which would change the meaning).

How is siliyorum formed?

Verb root: sil- (“to wipe”)
Present continuous: -(I)yor → because the last vowel in the root is i, choose -iyor
1st person singular: -um Together: sil + iyor + um → siliyorum.
The progressive suffix has 4 forms by vowel harmony: -ıyor/-iyor/-uyor/-üyor.

What are the other person forms of this tense for silmek?

Ben: siliyorum
Sen: siliyorsun
O: siliyor
Biz: siliyoruz
Siz: siliyorsunuz
Onlar: siliyorlar (or colloquially just siliyor)

How do I make it negative or turn it into a yes/no question?

Negative: Tezgâhı bezle silmiyorum. (“I’m not wiping the counter with a cloth.”)
Yes/no question: insert the question particle separately with harmony:
- Tezgâhı bezle siliyor muyum?
- Tezgâhı bezle siliyor musun? etc. The particle agrees: mi/mı/mu/mü.

Do I need to include Ben?

No. The person is already in the verb ending. Ben is optional and adds emphasis/contrast: Ben tezgâhı bezle siliyorum = “I am the one wiping the counter (with a cloth).”

Why is it tezgâhı with dotless ı, not tezgâhi?

Vowel harmony. The last vowel in tezgâh is a (a back vowel), so the accusative chooses the back version -ı.
Also note Turkish has two different letters: i (dotted, front) vs ı (dotless, back). They’re different sounds and letters.

How do you pronounce tezgâhı and what’s the deal with the circumflex?

Rough pronunciation: “tez-gah-uh” (where ı is like the “uh” in “sofa”).
The circumflex â marks a long vowel (and is from the Persian origin of the word). Many people write it without the circumflex (tezgahı) in everyday text. Both spellings are commonly seen.

Can I move bezle around in the sentence?

Yes, as long as the verb stays last:

Tezgâhı bezle siliyorum. (neutral)
Bezle tezgâhı siliyorum. (slight focus on the instrument) Putting bezle after the verb (e.g., Siliyorum bezle) is not standard in neutral statements.

Could I use temizlemek instead of silmek?

You can, but it’s broader.

silmek = to wipe/clean by wiping (erase, rub off)
temizlemek = to clean (general)
For wiping a counter, silmek is the most precise everyday choice. Tezgâhı temizliyorum means “I’m cleaning the counter” (not necessarily by wiping).

Which tense should I use for habits like “I wipe the counter every day”?

Use the aorist (simple present) for habits: Her gün tezgâhı bezle silerim.
People also say Her gün … siliyorum in conversation, but the aorist silerim is the canonical habitual.

How would I say “with this cloth/that cloth”?

Bu bezle = with this cloth
Şu bezle = with that (near) cloth
O bezle = with that (far/aforementioned) cloth

Could I make the object indefinite here?

Yes: Tezgâh siliyorum = “I’m wiping a counter.” It’s grammatical but sounds unusual unless contextually you really mean some unspecified counter. In real life you usually have a specific counter in mind, so tezgâhı (definite) is the default.