Demonstratives (bu/şu/o)
A1
Pronouns
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Demonstrative forms indicate spatial and discourse-based reference. They identify a noun in terms of proximity and distinguish between near, intermediate, and distant location relative to the speaker.
1. Forms and Spatial Reference
Turkish has three primary demonstratives:
bu → near the speaker
şu → intermediate distance or contrastive reference
o → distant from the speaker
These forms precede the noun and do not inflect.
Examples:
bu kitap
şu masa
o ev
2. Function / Meaning
Demonstratives specify the location of the noun relative to the speaker.
They define referential distance and serve as determiners indicating a concrete, identifiable entity.
bu marks immediate proximity.
şu marks mid-distance or distinguishes an item among alternatives.
o marks distance or refers to an entity outside the immediate physical or discourse space.
3. Use with Nouns
Demonstratives appear directly before the noun without morphological change:
bu kalem
şu kapı
o şehir
They do not take suffixes themselves; all case and possessive morphology attaches to the noun:
bu kitabı
şu eve
o şehirden
4. Use Without Nouns
Demonstratives may function independently when the noun is omitted but understood from context:
Bu güzel.
Şu küçük.
O doğru.
The form remains unchanged.
5. Case Attachment
Case suffixes attach to the noun, not to the demonstrative:
bu eve
şu masadan
o arabayla
When the noun is omitted, case suffixes attach to the demonstrative:
bunu
şunu
onu
These are lexicalized and follow standard case morphology.
Examples
• Bu kitap yeni. — This book is new.
• Şu masa geniş. — That table (over there) is wide.
• O ev büyük. — That house (far) is large.
• Bunu aldım. — I bought this.
• Şunu seçtim. — I chose that.
• Onu gördüm. — I saw that/him/her.
• Bu kalem masada. — This pen is on the table.
• Şu evi beğendim. — I liked that house.
• O şehirden geldik. — We came from that city.
• Bunlar güzel. — These are beautiful.
Notes
• Demonstratives precede the noun and remain uninflected.
• Case suffixes attach either to the noun or to the demonstrative when the noun is omitted.
• bu / şu / o contrast by proximity.
• Plural demonstratives form analytically with bunlar / şunlar / onlar.
Demonstratives – FAQ (A1)
Q: What are the basic demonstratives in Turkish?
A: Turkish has three basic demonstratives: bu (near the speaker), şu (mid-distance or contrast), and o (far from the speaker).
Q: Do demonstratives change form or take suffixes?
A: No. Demonstratives do not change form and do not take suffixes themselves; all suffixes attach to the noun they modify.
Q: Can demonstratives be used without a noun?
A: Yes. When the noun is omitted but understood from context, demonstratives can be used alone and may take case suffixes (e.g. bunu, şunu, onu).
