Ablative Case (-DAn)
A1
Cases
The ablative case expresses separation, departure, origin, and movement away from a point. The suffix attaches to the noun and adapts to vowel harmony and consonant voicing.
1. Function / Meaning
The ablative indicates movement away from a place, the source of an action or event, the origin of information, or the point from which comparison is made.
2. Forms
The base suffix is -DAn.
Front–back vowel harmony determines the vowel:
a → dan
ı → dan
o → dan
u → dan
e → den
i → den
ö → den
ü → den
There are no other vowel variants of this suffix.
3. Consonant Voicing
If the noun ends with a voiceless consonant (ç, f, h, k, p, s, ş, t), the initial d becomes t:
dan → tan
den → ten
Examples:
ağaç → ağaçtan
kitap → kitaptan
ders → dersten
çift → çiftten
4. Attachment Rules
• No buffer consonant is used.
• No vowel deletion occurs.
• The suffix attaches directly to the noun.
• The noun stem remains unchanged.
5. Core Uses
• Physical movement away from a location.
• Origin or starting point.
• Source of information or report.
• Cause or reason expressed through abstraction.
• Reference point in comparison.
Examples
• Evden çıktım. — I left the house.
• Yoldan geldik. — We came from the road.
• Ağaçtan düştü. — He/She fell from the tree.
• Şehirden dönüyorum. — I am returning from the city.
• Kapıdan girdiler. — They entered through the door.
• Arkadaştan haber geldi. — News came from a friend.
• Masadan kalemi aldım. — I took the pen from the table.
• Bahçeden ses geliyor. — A sound is coming from the garden.
• Ülkeden ayrıldı. — He/She departed from the country.
• Dersten sonra yürüdüm. — I walked after the class.
Notes
• Only four surface forms exist: dan / den / tan / ten.
• Harmony follows front–back distinction.
• Voiceless consonants trigger t-.
• The ablative expresses separation, origin, or reference.
Ablative Case (-DAn) – FAQ (A1)
Q: What does the ablative case (-DAn) express in Turkish?
A: The ablative case expresses separation, movement away from a place, origin, or the source of something.
Q: How do you choose between -dan, -den, -tan, and -ten?
A: The vowel is chosen by vowel harmony, and the consonant changes to t if the noun ends in a voiceless consonant.
Q: Is a buffer consonant used with the ablative case?
A: No. The ablative suffix attaches directly to the noun without using a buffer consonant.