Turkish grammar: tamlanan eki

What this grammar point covers

The 'tamlanan eki' is a suffix in Turkish used in noun compounds to show possession or relationship between two nouns. It is added to the second noun in the compound.

When to use it

Use the 'tamlanan eki' when you want to combine two nouns to show a relationship, usually possession or belonging. For example, to say 'the door of the house' or 'the color of the car', you use this suffix on the second noun.

Key forms

• -ı/-i/-u/-ü (according to vowel harmony)
• -sı/-si/-su/-sü (for words ending in a vowel)

Examples

Tips

• Remember to apply vowel harmony when adding the suffix.
• If the noun ends in a vowel, add an extra 's' before the suffix (for example: araba → arabası).
• Both nouns in the compound usually take a suffix: the first shows the owner, the second gets the 'tamlanan eki'.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some compound nouns do not use the 'tamlanan eki' (e.g., 'su bardağı').
• Proper names may have special forms.