üzerinde

Üzerinde is a Turkish locative postposition form indicating position on the surface of something or, in a figurative sense, relation to a topic. It is derived from the noun or notion of a surface or top and is used after a noun phrase to express “on the surface of” or “on top of.” In everyday Turkish, the phrase often appears as masanın üzerinde “on the table” or kutunun üzerinde “on top of the box.” The construction commonly accompanies possessed nouns (X’in üzerinde) but can also stand in general locative expressions.

In physical location, üzerinde marks that an object is resting on the surface of another object. Examples include: Masanın üzerinde notlar var (There are notes on the table); Kutunun üzerinde bir ürün bulunuyor (There is a product on top of the box). The form is versatile for describing placement in space.

In figurative use, üzerinde has a broader sense related to topics or matters. It frequently appears with verbs meaning “to work on,” “to dwell on,” or “to emphasize.” Examples: bir konu üzerinde çalışıyoruz (we are working on a topic); bu konu üzerinde durmamız gerekiyor (we need to dwell on this matter). With this sense, üzerinde functions similarly to the English phrases “on/with regard to” or “concerning.”

Related phrases include üstünde, which also means “on top of,” and hakkında/hakkında değil, which express “about/regarding.” Üzerinde remains common in both formal and informal Turkish, with no significant regional variation in standard usage.