Turkish grammar: sahiplik ekleri

What this grammar point covers

In Turkish, 'sahiplik ekleri' are suffixes added to nouns to show possession (who owns something). They work like 'my', 'your', 'his/her', etc., but are attached to the end of the noun.

When to use it

Use these suffixes when you want to say that something belongs to someone. For example, to say 'my book', 'your house', or 'their car' in Turkish.

Key forms

• benim -im / -ım / -um / -üm (kitabım)
• senin -in / -ın / -un / -ün (kitabın)
• onun -i / -ı / -u / -ü (kitabı)
• bizim -imiz / -ımız / -umuz / -ümüz (kitabımız)
• sizin -iniz / -ınız / -unuz / -ünüz (kitabınız)
• onların -leri / -ları (kitapları)

Examples

Tips

• The suffix changes according to vowel harmony. Pay attention to the last vowel in the noun.
• Do not use a separate pronoun (benim, senin, etc.) unless you want to emphasize the owner.
• Remember that the suffix is attached directly to the noun, without a space.

Exceptions and edge cases

• With family words (anne, baba, etc.), sometimes a different form is used in informal speech (e.g., 'annem' for 'my mother').