Possessive Pronouns in Turkish

Possessive pronouns are essential for expressing ownership and relationships in any language. In Turkish, possessive pronouns are not standalone words but are added as suffixes to nouns. This lesson will guide you through the use of Turkish possessive pronouns, including explanations, examples, and practice exercises to help you master them.

What Are Possessive Pronouns?

Possessive pronouns indicate who owns something or who is related to something. In Turkish, these pronouns are suffixes attached to nouns. Unlike English, where possessive pronouns are separate words (my, your, his, her, etc.), Turkish uses suffixes that change according to vowel harmony.

1. Turkish Possessive Pronouns

Turkish possessive pronouns are attached to the end of the noun. The suffixes used depend on the person and number of the possessor:

Person/Number	Suffix	Example (Singular)
My (Benim)	-im / -ım / -um /-üm	Benim kitabım (my book)
Your (Senin) (singular informal)	-in / -ın / -un / -ün	Senin kalemin (your pen)
His/Her/Its (Onun)	-[s]i / -[s]ı / -[s]u / -[s]ü	Onun kitabı (his/her book)
Our (Bizim)	-imiz / -ımız / -umuz / -ümüz	Bizim evimiz (our house)
Your (Sizin)(plural/formal)	-iniz / -ınız / -unuz / -ünüz	Sizin kitabınız (your book)
Their (Onların)	-leri / -ları / -leri / -ları	Onların kitapları (their books)

Possessive endings are shaped depending on vowel harmony.

2. Forming Possessive Pronouns

To form possessive pronouns, add the appropriate suffix to the noun:

• Benim (My): -im, -ım, -um, -üm
  • Ev (house) → *Evim (My house)
• Senin (Your, singular): -in, -ın, -un, -ün
  • Kitap (book) → *Kitapın (Your book)
• Onun (His/Her/Its): -[s]i / -[s]ı / -[s]u / -[s]ü
  • Çanta (Bag) → *Çantası (Her bag)
• Bizim (Our): -imiz, -ımız, -umuz, -ümüz
  • Araba (car) → *Arabamız (Our car)
• Sizin (Your, plural/formal): -iniz, -ınız, -unuz, -ünüz
  • Çanta (bag) → *Çantanız (Your bag)
• Onların (Their): -leri / -ları / -leri / -ları
  • Okul (school) → *Okulu (Their school)

3. Examples of Possessive Pronouns

Here are some examples to illustrate how possessive pronouns are used in Turkish:

• Benim kitabım – My book
  • Kitap (book) + -ım (my)
• Senin kalemin – Your pen
  • Kalem (pen) + -in (your)
• Onun çantası – His/Her bag
  • Çanta (bag) + [s]ı (Her /His)
• Bizim evimiz – Our house
  • Ev (house) + -imiz (our)
• Sizin telefonunuz – Your phone (plural/formal)
  • Telefon (phone) + -unuz (your)
• Onların arabası – Their car
  • Araba (car) + –[s]ı (Their car)
• Onların arabaları – Their cars
  • Araba (car) + –ları (Their cars)

5. Practice Exercises

1. Translate the following sentences into Turkish:
   • My friend’s car is new.
   • Our house is big.
   • Your (singular) book is on the table.
   • Their dog is friendly.
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct possessive pronouns:
   • (Ben) _____ kitabım
   • (Sen) _____ kalemin
   • (Biz) _____ evimiz
   • (Siz) _____ telefonunuz
3. Rewrite the following sentences using possessive pronouns:
   • The pen of my friend (Arkadaşımın kalemi)
   • The house of our family (Ailemiz ev)

6. Answers to Exercises

• Arkadaşımın arabası yeni.
• Evimiz büyük.
• Senin kitabın masanın üstünde.
• Onların köpeği dost canlısı.

• Benim kitabım
• Senin kalemin
• Bizim evimiz
• Sizin telefonunuz

• Arkadaşımın kalemi
• Ailemiz evi

Mastering Turkish possessive pronouns will greatly enhance your ability to communicate and understand the language. By practicing the examples and exercises provided, you can confidently use these pronouns in your daily Turkish conversations.