Nouns: Accusative Case

01

The Accusative Suffixes: -ı, -i, -u, -ü

The choice of suffix depends on the last vowel of the noun, following the rules of 4-way vowel harmony.

• If the last vowel is a or ı, add -ı.

• Kapıyı kapat.

  Close the door.

• Anahtarı buldum.

  I found the key.

• If the last vowel is e or i, add -i.

• Evi temizledim.

  I cleaned the house.

• Kalemi aldım.

  I took the pen.

• If the last vowel is o or u, add -u.

• Telefonu şarj et.

  Charge the phone.

• Okulu seviyorum.

  I love the school.

• If the last vowel is ö or ü, add -ü.

• Gözü mavi.

  His/her eye is blue. (Here, 'the eye' is the subject of a nominal sentence, but the form is the same)

• Sözlüğü getirdim.

  I brought the dictionary.

02

Buffer Letters: 'y' and 'n'

When adding the accusative suffix, a buffer letter is sometimes needed to separate two vowels.

The 'y' Buffer

If a noun ends in a vowel, the buffer letter y is inserted before the accusative suffix.

• Arabayı yıkadım.

  I washed the car. (from araba + y + ı)

• Kediyi besledin mi?

  Did you feed the cat? (from kedi + y + i)

The 'n' Buffer

The buffer letter n is used after the 3rd person possessive suffix (-(s)ı, -(s)i, -(s)u, -(s)ü).

• Onun arabasını gördüm.

  I saw his/her car. (from araba + sı + n + ı)

• Arkadaşının evini beğendim.

  I liked your friend's house. (from evi + n + i)

03

Definiteness: 'The' vs. 'A'

Since there are no articles like "the" or "a," the accusative case is crucial for indicating whether a direct object is specific or general.

Using the accusative suffix makes the object definite ("the"). It refers to a specific item known to the speakers.

• Çantayı masaya koydum.

  I put the bag on the table. (a specific bag)

• Mektubu okudum.

  I read the letter. (a specific letter)

Omitting the accusative suffix makes the object indefinite ("a," "an," or "some"). It refers to a general or non-specific item.

• Çanta aldım.

  I bought a bag. (any bag)

• Mektup yazıyorum.

  I am writing a letter. (the act of letter-writing, not a specific one)

04

When the Accusative Case is Mandatory

For certain types of nouns, the accusative suffix must be used when they are the direct object, as they are considered inherently definite.

Proper Nouns: Names of people, cities, countries, brands, etc.

• Ayşe'yi aradım.

  I called Ayşe.

• İstanbul'u gezdik.

  We toured Istanbul.

Possessed Nouns: Nouns with any possessive ending (-m, -n, -ı, etc.).

• Kitabımı kaybettim.

  I lost my book.

• Köpeğini çok seviyor.

  He/she loves his/her dog very much.

Pronouns: Personal and demonstrative pronouns acting as direct objects.

• Seni anlıyorum.

  I understand you.

• Bunu istiyorum.

  I want this.