Köpek gölgede dinleniyor.

The dog is resting in the shade.

Breakdown of Köpek gölgede dinleniyor.

• köpek: the dog
• dinlenmek: to rest
• gölgede: in the shade

Questions & Answers about Köpek gölgede dinleniyor.

What does the suffix -de in gölgede do?

It’s the locative case marker meaning “in/at/on.” So gölge (shade) + -de = “in the shade.” Turkish uses case suffixes instead of separate prepositions for many location meanings.

Why is it gölgede (one word) and not gölge de (two words)?

Because the locative is a suffix attached directly to the noun: gölgede. The spaced de/da is a separate clitic meaning “also/too.” For example: Köpek gölgede de dinleniyor = “The dog is also resting in the shade.”

Why is it -de here, not -da, -te, or -ta?

Two rules:

• Vowel harmony: last vowel front (e, i, ö, ü) → -de; last vowel back (a, ı, o, u) → -da. Gölge ends with front vowel e, so -de.
• After a voiceless consonant (p, ç, t, k, f, h, s, ş), the d becomes t: -te/-ta (e.g., parkta, sınıfta). Since gölge ends in a vowel, we use -de.

How is dinleniyor formed?

From the verb dinlenmek (to rest):

• Remove the dictionary ending -mek → dinlen-
• Add the present progressive suffix -(I)yor → dinleniyor
• 3rd person singular has no extra personal ending in this tense, so dinleniyor = “(he/she/it) is resting.”

Why is it -iyor (with i) and not -ıyor/-uyor/-üyor?

The high vowel in -(I)yor follows vowel harmony. The last vowel in the stem dinlen- is e (front, unrounded), so the suffix uses i: -iyor → dinleniyor.

Where is the word “is”? Why isn’t there a separate “to be”?

In Turkish, tense/aspect/person are carried by verb suffixes. The suffix -(I)yor supplies the “is … -ing” meaning, and 3rd person singular has no extra ending. So dinleniyor itself means “is resting.”

Is dinleniyor related to dinlemek (to listen)? I’m confused.

They’re different verbs:

• dinlenmek = to rest → dinleniyor = “is resting”
• dinlemek = to listen → dinliyor = “is listening” Don’t drop the final -en in dinlen-, or you’ll change the meaning.

Why is there no article like “the” or “a” before köpek?

Turkish has no definite article. Köpek can be understood as “the dog” from context. To say “a dog,” add bir: Bir köpek gölgede dinleniyor.

Can the word order change?

Yes, Turkish is flexible, but the verb tends to come last.

• Neutral: Köpek gölgede dinleniyor.
• Emphasizing place: Gölgede köpek dinleniyor.
• Colloquial, end-focus on place: Köpek dinleniyor gölgede. Meaning stays the same; emphasis shifts.

How would I say it with a plural subject, “Dogs are resting in the shade”?

Köpekler gölgede dinleniyor. In speech, this is common. You can also add the plural verb ending: Köpekler gölgede dinleniyorlar (more explicit 3rd plural agreement).

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

• Negative: insert -m- before -iyor → dinlenmiyor. Example: Köpek gölgede dinlenmiyor.
• Yes–no question: add the question particle (separate word) with harmony → mi/ mı/ mu/ mü. The last vowel of dinleniyor is o, so use mu: Köpek gölgede dinleniyor mu?

How do I say “into the shade” and “from the shade” instead of “in the shade”?

Use different case suffixes:

• Dative “to/into”: gölgeye
• Ablative “from”: gölgeden Examples: Köpek gölgeye gidiyor (going into the shade), Köpek gölgeden çıkıyor (coming out from the shade).

How do I say “in the tree’s shade”?

Use a genitive + possessed noun, then the locative:

• ağaç (tree) → genitive ağacın
• gölge (shade) → possessed gölgesi (“its shade”)
• Locative on that: gölgesinde Whole phrase: Ağacın gölgesinde dinleniyor.

Any pronunciation tips for words in this sentence?

• ö is a front rounded vowel (like German ö or French eu in “peur”).
• In gölgede, say syllables clearly: göl-ge-de.
• In finite verbs with -yor, stress falls on the syllable before -yor: din-le-Nİ-yor.
• Word stress is usually on the last syllable of nouns: kö-PEK, göl-GE.

Could I use another tense to express a general habit?

Yes. The aorist (habitual) expresses general truths/habits:

• Köpek gölgede dinlenir. = “A/The dog rests in the shade (habitually).” The original with -iyor focuses on an ongoing action “right now/around now.”

Is there a synonym for dinlenmek?

A more formal synonym is istirahat etmek (“to take a rest”): Köpek gölgede istirahat ediyor. In everyday speech, dinlenmek is more common.