Relative Clauses I
B1
Clauses
Relative clauses in Turkish are formed through participles, not through finite clause structures. The relative clause precedes the noun it modifies and functions as an adjectival modifier.
1. Function
Relative clauses identify or specify a noun by encoding information about an action or state. The clause modifies the noun directly and functions syntactically as an adjective.
2. Forms
At this level, Turkish uses two core participial forms:
–(y)An for subject relative clauses.
–DIK for object relative clauses.
Both participles attach to the verb stem and appear before the modified noun.
3. Morphology
–(y)An
Marks subject relative clauses.
The modified noun corresponds to the subject of the action.
The suffix has a single form: –(y)An.
The buffer consonant –y– appears after vowel-final stems.
–DIK
Marks object relative clauses.
The modified noun corresponds to the object of the action.
The suffix follows four-way vowel harmony.
Suffix shape:
–DIK → dık / dik / duk / dük
Object relative clauses formed with –DIK require possessive suffixes that mark the subject of the relative clause.
4. Syntax
The relative clause always precedes the noun it modifies.
No relative pronoun is used.
In –(y)An clauses, no overt subject appears inside the relative clause.
In –DIK clauses, the subject of the relative clause is expressed through a possessive suffix.
The modified noun appears immediately after the relative clause.
5. Usage
–(y)An is used when the modified noun corresponds to the subject of the action.
–DIK is used when the modified noun corresponds to the object of the action.
The choice of participle is determined by grammatical role, not by tense.
Examples
Gelen adam kapıyı açtı.
(The man who came opened the door.)Konuşan kadın öğretmen.
(The woman who is speaking is the teacher.)Okuduğum kitap çok ilginç.
(The book that I read is very interesting.)Gördüğün filmi hatırlıyor musun?
(Do you remember the movie that you saw?)Yaptığımız çalışma uzun sürdü.
(The work that we did took a long time.)Aradığın kişi burada değil.
(The person that you are looking for is not here.)
Notes
Relative clauses precede the noun they modify.
–(y)An forms subject relative clauses.
–DIK forms object relative clauses and requires possessive suffixes.
No finite verb or relative pronoun appears in the relative clause.
Relative Clauses I – FAQ (B1)
Q: How are relative clauses formed in Turkish?
A: Relative clauses in Turkish are formed with participles, not with finite verbs or relative pronouns, and they appear before the noun they modify.
Q: When is the suffix –(y)An used in relative clauses?
A: –(y)An is used in subject relative clauses, where the modified noun corresponds to the subject of the action.
Q: When is the suffix –DIK used in relative clauses?
A: –DIK is used in object relative clauses and requires a possessive suffix to mark the subject of the relative clause.