önünde

Önünde is a Turkish locative expression meaning in front of or before. It is formed from the noun ön (front) plus the locative suffix -ünde, producing a postpositional phrase that indicates position relative to another noun. In ordinary usage, the reference noun is placed in the genitive (indicating the object whose front is being referred to), as in kapının önünde (in front of the door) or arabanın önünde (in front of the car).

Usage and function

Önünde functions as a location complement in Turkish sentences. It answers questions such as where something is standing or located, and it can describe both concrete places and visible orientations. For example, Kapının önünde bekliyorum means I am waiting in front of the door. Arabanın önünde durdu indicates that someone stopped in front of the car. Phrase construction typically follows the noun governing the reference object in the genitive case, then önünde to express the position.

Figurative and idiomatic use

Beyond spatial meaning, önünde can appear in idiomatic expressions. A common example is önünde sonunda, meaning in the end or ultimately. This usage contrasts with the literal spatial sense and is widely found in everyday Turkish speech and writing.

Related forms

When movement toward a location is intended rather than staying in place, Turkish uses a different suffix pattern (for example önüne meaning toward in front of). The form önünde, however, remains the standard locative for indicating that something is located in front of another object.

See also

Turkish grammar of postpositions, locative case, genitive construction, common locatives such as üstünde, arkasında.