Genitive Case -(n)in/-(n)ın/-(n)un/-(n)ün

The Genitive Case

The genitive case shows possession (of/belonging to). It's formed by adding -(n)in/-(n)ın/-(n)un/-(n)ün following i-type vowel harmony.

Pattern: Possessor + genitive + Possessed + possessive

Add buffer 'n' after vowels.

Ali-nin kitab-ı

Ali's book

Ali + nin + kitap + ı

ev-in kapı-sı

the house's door

ev + in + kapı + sı

araba-nın rengi

the car's color

araba + nın (buffer n) + renk + i

Compound Possession

Turkish requires BOTH the genitive on the possessor AND the possessive suffix on the possessed noun.

English: Ali's book

Turkish: Ali-nin kitab-ı (Ali's-of book-his)

This is called compound possession or izafet.

öğretmen-in araba-sı

the teacher's car

teacher + in + car + sı

Türkiye-nin başkenti

Turkey's capital

Turkey + nin + capital + i

çocuk-ların oyuncak-ları

the children's toys

children + ların + toys + ları

Without Genitive

When the possessor is indefinite or generic, you can skip the genitive and use only the possessive suffix:

ev kapısı - house door (generic)

evin kapısı - the house's door (specific)

okul bahçesi

school garden (generic)

No genitive, just possessive

okulun bahçesi

the school's garden (specific)

Genitive + possessive

Exercises

genitive

Form: 'the cat's tail' from 'kedi' and 'kuyruk'

Answer: kedinin kuyruğu

kedi + nin + kuyruk + u (k→ğ) = kedinin kuyruğu

translation

Translate: my father's car

Answer: babamın arabası

baba + m + ın + araba + sı = babamın arabası

fill in-blank

Complete: Ankara başkent (Ankara is Turkey's capital)

Answer: Türkiye'nin başkentidir

Türkiye + nin + başkent + i + dir