Akıl Declension: Turkish Cases of 'mind'
akıl means “mind, reason”. Its last vowel is ı, so 2-way suffixes use a (akıllar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (aklın). Its last vowel drops before a vowel suffix (aklı, akla) but stays before a consonant (akılda).
Quick facts
- Plural
- akıllar
- minds
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- aklı
- accusative, “the mind”
Rules this noun follows
- Vowel drop — The last vowel of the root drops before a vowel-initial suffix.aklı, akla, aklım
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).aklım, aklın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).aklını, aklında
Akıl in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | akılmind | akıllarminds |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | aklıthe mind (object) | akıllarıthe minds (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | aklato the mind | akıllarato the minds |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | akıldain / at the mind | akıllardain / at the minds |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | akıldanfrom the mind | akıllardanfrom the minds |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | aklınthe mind's / of the mind | akıllarınthe minds's / of the minds |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | akıllawith the mind | akıllarlawith the minds |
Possessive forms: “my mind”, “your mind”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (aklında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | aklımmy mind | aklımımy mind (object) | aklımato my mind | aklımdain / at my mind | aklımdanfrom my mind |
| seninyour | aklınyour mind | aklınıyour mind (object) | aklınato your mind | aklındain / at your mind | aklındanfrom your mind |
| onunhis/her/its | aklıhis/her mind | aklınıhis/her mind (object) | aklınato his/her mind | aklındain / at his/her mind | aklındanfrom his/her mind |
| bizimour | aklımızour mind | aklımızıour mind (object) | aklımızato our mind | aklımızdain / at our mind | aklımızdanfrom our mind |
| sizinyour (pl.) | aklınızyour (pl.) mind | aklınızıyour (pl.) mind (object) | aklınızato your (pl.) mind | aklınızdain / at your (pl.) mind | aklınızdanfrom your (pl.) mind |
| onlarıntheir | akıllarıtheir minds | akıllarınıtheir minds (object) | akıllarınato their minds | akıllarındain / at their minds | akıllarındanfrom their minds |
Plural + possessive: akıllarım (my minds) · akılların (your minds) · akılları (his/her minds) · akıllarımız (our minds) · akıllarınız (your (pl.) minds) · akılları (their minds)
Akıl in example sentences
Watch out with akıl
- The last vowel drops. Before a vowel suffix the second vowel disappears: aklı, akla, aklım (not
*akılı,*akıla). Consonant suffixes keep it: akılda, akıllar. Rule → - Two meanings of aklın. aklın is both "of the mind" (genitive) and "your mind" (possessive). aklı is likewise both the object form and "his/her mind". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: feelings & the mind
- dert trouble
- dikkat attention
- düşünce thought
- hayal dream
- his feeling
- keyif pleasure
- merak curiosity
- mutluluk happiness
- sabır patience
- sevgi love
Other nouns that drop a vowel
Questions about akıl
What is the plural of akıl?
The plural of akıl ("mind") is akıllar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of akıl is ı, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: akılları, akıllarda, akıllardan.
How do you say "to the mind" in Turkish?
"To the mind" is akla, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the mind" is akılda (locative) and "from the mind" is akıldan (ablative).
Why is it aklı and not akılı?
Akıl belongs to a group of two-syllable nouns (mostly Arabic loans and body parts) whose second vowel drops when a vowel-initial suffix follows: aklı, akla, aklım. With consonant-initial suffixes the vowel stays: akılda, akıllar.
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