Turkish grammar: isim tamlamaları

What this grammar point covers

In Turkish, 'isim tamlamaları' are noun compounds. They are used to connect two nouns to show a relationship, like 'the door of the house' or 'teacher's book'. The first noun describes or belongs to the second.

When to use it

Use 'isim tamlamaları' to show possession (something belongs to someone/something), to describe what something is made of, or to explain relationships between two nouns.

Key forms

• Belirtili isim tamlaması: [noun1]+ın/in/un/ün + [noun2]+ı/i/u/ü (e.g. evin kapısı)
• Belirtisiz isim tamlaması: [noun1] + [noun2]+ı/i/u/ü (e.g. okul kapısı)

Examples

Tips

• Remember to use the correct suffixes for both nouns.
• In belirtisiz (indefinite) noun compounds, the first noun has no suffix, but the second does.
• Practice with common word pairs to get used to the patterns.

Exceptions and edge cases

• If the first noun ends with a vowel, use a buffer letter (like 'n') for easier pronunciation.
• Some compound nouns are used so often that they may lose their suffixes in daily speech.