# Köprüden antik bir kente gidiliyor



## Stranger_

Merhaba! This is an excerpt from a book I have been studying for a while now: [Köprüden antik bir kente gid*il*iyor.] Now, is it possible in Turkish to use an intransitive verb "gitmek" passively? Because, as you know, this cannot be done in English. So I wonder if it is allowed in Turkish. Also, how would you translate the given sentence into English? Teşekkürler.


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## peptidoglycan

You can go to an ancient city through the bridge.


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## Stranger_

Thanks. So, can't we say "Köprüden antik bir kente gidebilir" to express the same point?


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## boggiee

If you told me _''köprüden antik bir kente *gidebilir*'', _I would interpret that sentence as ''s/he can go to an ancient city through the bridge'', and I would ask you _'kim gidebilir?_'. I ask you because you use a null subject in your sentence.


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## peptidoglycan

Stranger_ said:


> Thanks. So, can't we say "Köprüden antik bir kente gidebilir" to express the same point?



You can say "Köprüden antik bir kente gidebilirsiniz." to express the same point?

"Köprüden antik bir kente gidebilirsiniz."  means "Köprüden antik bir kente gidilir./gidiliyor."


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## Reverence

Any verb can be turned into passive form in Turkish, transitive or intransitive.

"The bridge leads to an ancient city" is how I'd translate the sentence.

Incidentally, that's something not done in Turkish. As far as a Turkish speaker is concerned, a bridge does not "lead" to anywhere. It's simply too stupid to do anything of the sort; it just sits there. This way of thinking is what makes passive intransitives viable and appropriately common in Turkish.

Not saying there are no exceptions, though. You could also say "Köprü, antik bir kente çıkıyor" and still make perfect sense.


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## Stranger_

> You can go to an ancient city through the bridge.





> "Köprüden antik bir kente gidebilirsiniz."



Yes, this is what I meant to say. 

I get it now, both of these → ("gidiliyor/gidebilirsiniz" endings) are used to express what in English is called the "Impersonal can". See here.

Thank you all for your answers.


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## shafaq

Stranger_ said:


> I get it now, both of these → ("gidiliyor/gidebilirsiniz" endings) are used to express what in English is called the "Impersonal can". See here.


Just to avoid misunderstanding; I am going to denote that your assumption is partially correct/incorrect.
Second phrase undoubtedly is an "Impersonal can" example but first one not. To be counted as an "Impersonal can" it has to be in "gidilebiliyor" form.

 In your original sentence "Köprüden antik bir kente gidiliyor" doesn't have any "can" particle neither personal nor impersonal.
It simply says "*by passing on the bridge; an ancient city is being reached*.


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## MetinS

"The road through the bridge takes you to an ancient town" this is for description of the area


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## sound shift

We don't normally say "*through *a bridge". It seems to imply "between the arches of the bridge", i.e. "under the bridge". If the idea is that we cross the bridge, I would use Reverence's suggestion: "The bridge leads to an ancient city" or "If we cross the bridge, we eventually come to an ancient city" or "The road goes over the bridge and on to an ancient city."


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## MetinS

Thanks. It  might be better to give a paragraph rather than just a sentence to get real meaning. At least I learned something here. Thanks again.


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## sound shift

Rica ederim.


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