Nouns: Ablative Case

01

Forming the Ablative Suffix

The ablative suffix changes according to the rules of vowel harmony and consonant assimilation. There are four possible forms: -dan, -den, -tan, and -ten.

1. Vowel Harmony (-dan / -den)

The choice between -dan and -den depends on the last vowel in the noun.

• If the last vowel is a, ı, o, u, use -dan.
• If the last vowel is e, i, ö, ü, use -den.

• Okuldan geliyorum.

  I am coming from the school.

• Evden çıktım.

  I left from the house.

2. Consonant Assimilation (-tan / -ten)

If the noun ends in a voiceless consonant (p, ç, t, k, f, h, s, ş), the "d" of the suffix becomes a "t".

• Use -tan after a voiceless consonant if the last vowel is a, ı, o, u.
• Use -ten after a voiceless consonant if the last vowel is e, i, ö, ü.

• Kitaptan bir bölüm okudum.

  I read a chapter from the book.

• Otobüsten indik.

  We got off the bus.

02

Meaning 1: Departure ("from")

This is the most direct meaning, indicating movement away from a place or a point of origin.

• Almanya'dan geliyorum.

  I am coming from Germany.

• Kutudan bir kalem aldı.

  He/she took a pen from the box.

• İşten saat beşte çıkıyorum.

  I leave from work at five o'clock.

03

Meaning 2: Cause ("because of")

The ablative case can be used to express the reason or cause for an action or state.

• Gürültüden uyuyamadım.

  I couldn't sleep because of the noise.

• Sıcaktan çok yoruldum.

  I got very tired from the heat.

• Korkudan konuşamadı.

  He/she couldn't speak out of fear.

04

Meaning 3: Comparison ("than")

When comparing two things, the noun being used as the point of comparison takes the ablative suffix.

• Bu ev diğerinden daha büyük.

  This house is bigger than the other one.

• Elma, portakaldan daha tatlı.

  An apple is sweeter than an orange.

• Ben senden daha gencim.

  I am younger than you.

05

Meaning 4: Part of a Whole ("out of", "of")

It can be used to specify that something is a part of a larger group.

• Öğrencilerden bazıları gelmedi.

  Some of the students did not come.

• Bu filmlerden hangisini seversin?

  Which of these movies do you like?

06

Using the Buffer Letter 'n'

When a noun has a 3rd person possessive suffix (-ı, -i, -u, -ü or -sı, -si, -su, -sü), the buffer letter n must be inserted before adding the ablative suffix. This does not apply to nouns that simply end in a vowel.

Compare a simple noun with a possessed noun:

• Arabadan indi.

  He/she got out of the car.

• Onun arabasından indi.

  He/she got out of his/her car.

In the second example, araba + sı (possessive) + n (buffer) + dan (ablative) becomes arabasından.

• Pencereden bakıyor.

  He/she is looking from the window.

• Evin penceresinden bakıyor.

  He/she is looking from the house's window.