Towards and around (-e doğru)

To say "towards" a destination or "around" a certain time, Turkish uses the postposition doğru. It requires the preceding noun to take the dative case (-(y)e / -(y)a).

Towards a Destination

Add the dative suffix to the noun, followed by the separate word doğru. Remember that hard consonants at the end of a word often soften when adding a vowel suffix (for example, k becomes ğ).

We will choose a long path in order to go towards the center.
Merkeze doğru gitmek için uzun bir patika seçeceğiz.
Walk carefully towards that tall bush.
Şu yüksek çalıya doğru dikkatli yürü.
If we don't turn right, we will definitely go towards a dead end.
Eğer sağa dönmezsek, kesinlikle bir çıkmaza doğru gideceğiz.
Are we walking towards the tower we saw?
Gördüğümüz kuleye doğru mu yürüyoruz?

Towards or Around a Time

With time expressions, this exact same structure means "towards" or "around" that time.

Towards morning, we had to enter this creepy maze.
Sabaha doğru bu ürpertici labirente girmemiz lazımdı.
Towards night, the path ended and we entered a dead end.
Geceye doğru patika bitti ve bir çıkmaza girdik.

Notice how the k in şafak (dawn) softens to a ğ before the dative suffix:

The exit was found towards dawn.
Çıkış şafağa doğru bulundu.