Turkish grammar: tamlayan eki

What this grammar point covers

The 'tamlayan eki' is a suffix in Turkish used to show possession or relationships between two nouns, similar to saying 'the book of the teacher'.

When to use it

Use the 'tamlayan eki' when you want to indicate that something belongs to someone or something, or to show a close relationship between two nouns in Turkish.

Key forms

• -(n)ın / -in / -un / -ün (depending on vowel harmony)
• Example: öğretmenin kitabı

Examples

Tips

• Remember to use vowel harmony when adding the suffix: -ın, -in, -un, or -ün.
• The noun that owns something gets the 'tamlayan eki', and the thing owned usually gets the possessive suffix.
• Don't forget: if the first noun ends in a vowel, add an extra 'n' (like 'Ali'nin').

Exceptions and edge cases

• For proper names ending in a vowel, use an apostrophe before the suffix (e.g., Ali'nin).
• Some fixed expressions or place names may not use this construction.