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Questions & Answers about Lütfen orada dur.
Why is the verb "dur" so short?
In Turkish, the simplest form of a verb is the root, and this is exactly what you use to give a command to one person (the informal singular "you"). You just take the dictionary form durmak (to stop) and drop the -mak to get the command dur (stop!).
How is the word "orada" formed?
It is made from the base word ora (that place) plus the locative case ending -da (at/in/on). So orada literally translates to "at that place," which we just say as "there" in English.
Does "lütfen" have to go at the beginning of the sentence?
No, Turkish word order is very flexible. Starting with lütfen is extremely common and polite, but you could also say Orada dur lütfen (Stop there, please).
Does "dur" only mean to stop?
The verb durmak mostly means "to stop," but it can also mean "to stand" or "to stay." Depending on the exact situation, telling someone orada dur could mean "stop there," "stand there," or "stay there."