Possessive Adjectives (my/your/his/her)
A1
Pronouns
Possessive adjectives indicate the possessor and appear before the noun. They do not take suffixes and do not change form. The morphological marking of possession occurs on the noun through possessive suffixes.
1. Forms
The possessive adjectives are:
benim
senin
onun
bizim
sizin
onların
These forms are invariable and precede the noun directly.
2. Function / Meaning
Possessive adjectives identify the possessor explicitly and combine with possessive suffixes on the noun.
Possessive marking therefore appears twice:
• once as a separate word (benim),
• once as a suffix on the noun (evim).
Both elements together form the full possessive phrase.
3. Structure
Possessive adjective → Noun + Possessive suffix
Examples of full structure:
benim + evim
senin + kalemin
onun + kitabı
bizim + arabamız
sizin + eviniz
onların + çocukları
The suffix on the noun indicates the person and number of the possessor, not plurality of the noun unless context requires.
4. Use with Singular and Plural Nouns
Possessive adjectives remain unchanged regardless of whether the possessed noun is singular or plural:
benim evim
benim evlerim
senin kalemin
senin kalemlerin
onların çocuğu
onların çocukları
The plural marker -lAr attaches to the noun, not to the possessive adjective.
Examples
• Benim evim burada. — My house is here.
• Senin kalemin masada. — Your pen is on the table.
• Onun kitabı yeni. — His/Her book is new.
• Bizim arabamız hazır. — Our car is ready.
• Sizin eviniz büyük. — Your (plural/honorific) house is large.
• Onların çocukları okulda. — Their child/children is/are at school.
Notes
• Possessive adjectives do not take suffixes.
• Possessive marking on the noun is obligatory when a possessive adjective is used.
• The possessive adjective and the noun suffix always agree in person and number.
Possessive Suffixes – FAQ (A1)
Q: What do possessive suffixes show in Turkish?
A: Possessive suffixes show who owns or possesses something by attaching directly to the noun.
Q: Do possessive suffixes follow vowel harmony?
A: Yes. Possessive suffixes follow four-way vowel harmony and change according to the last vowel of the noun.
Q: Is a possessive pronoun required with possessive suffixes?
A: No. The possessive suffix already indicates the owner, so a separate pronoun is usually not needed.