Bu kitap senin mi? Hayır, benimki.
English: Is this book yours? No, it's mine.
- Language
- Turkish
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Zamirler ve Ekleri
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'ilgi zamiri' in Turkish is a special pronoun used to refer back to a noun previously mentioned in a sentence, similar to 'whose' or 'of which' in English. In Turkish, it is shown by the suffix '-ki'.
When to use it
Use 'ilgi zamiri' in Turkish when you want to avoid repeating a noun that has already been mentioned, especially to show possession or belonging. It helps make sentences shorter and clearer.
Key forms
- -ki is attached to the possessive form of the noun.
- benimki, seninki, onunki, bizimki, sizinki, onlarınki
Examples
Arabamız eski ama onlarınki yeni.
English: Our car is old but theirs is new.
Seninki daha güzel.
English: Yours is more beautiful.
Hangisi seninki?
English: Which one is yours?
Tips
- '-ki' is written separately from the possessive suffix (benimki, not benim ki).
- Do not use '-ki' with nouns that do not have a possessive suffix.
- Remember that 'ilgi zamiri' replaces the whole noun phrase, not just the noun.
Exceptions and edge cases
- The form 'onunki' is used for both masculine and feminine, as Turkish does not distinguish gender.