Ayak Declension: Turkish Cases of 'foot'
ayak means “foot”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (ayaklar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (ayağın). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (ayağı, ayağa) but stays hard before a consonant (ayakta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- ayaklar
- feet
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- ayağı
- accusative, “the foot”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.ayağı, ayağa, ayağım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).ayakta, ayaktan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).ayağım, ayağın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).ayağını, ayağında
Ayak in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | ayakfoot | ayaklarfeet |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | ayağıthe foot (object) | ayaklarıthe feet (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | ayağato the foot | ayaklarato the feet |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | ayaktain / at the foot | ayaklardain / at the feet |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | ayaktanfrom the foot | ayaklardanfrom the feet |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | ayağınthe foot's / of the foot | ayaklarınthe feet's / of the feet |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | ayaklawith the foot | ayaklarlawith the feet |
Possessive forms: “my foot”, “your foot”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (ayağında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | ayağımmy foot | ayağımımy foot (object) | ayağımato my foot | ayağımdain / at my foot | ayağımdanfrom my foot |
| seninyour | ayağınyour foot | ayağınıyour foot (object) | ayağınato your foot | ayağındain / at your foot | ayağındanfrom your foot |
| onunhis/her/its | ayağıhis/her foot | ayağınıhis/her foot (object) | ayağınato his/her foot | ayağındain / at his/her foot | ayağındanfrom his/her foot |
| bizimour | ayağımızour foot | ayağımızıour foot (object) | ayağımızato our foot | ayağımızdain / at our foot | ayağımızdanfrom our foot |
| sizinyour (pl.) | ayağınızyour (pl.) foot | ayağınızıyour (pl.) foot (object) | ayağınızato your (pl.) foot | ayağınızdain / at your (pl.) foot | ayağınızdanfrom your (pl.) foot |
| onlarıntheir | ayaklarıtheir feet | ayaklarınıtheir feet (object) | ayaklarınato their feet | ayaklarındain / at their feet | ayaklarındanfrom their feet |
Plural + possessive: ayaklarım (my feet) · ayakların (your feet) · ayakları (his/her feet) · ayaklarımız (our feet) · ayaklarınız (your (pl.) feet) · ayakları (their feet)
Ayak in example sentences
Denize girmeden önce ayaklarını suya soktu.
Before swimming, she dipped her feet in the water.
Accusative case
Watch out with ayak
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: ayağı, ayağa, ayağım (not
*ayakı). Before a consonant it stays hard: ayakta, ayaklar. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: ayakta, ayaktan (not
*ayakda). Rule → - Two meanings of ayağın. ayağın is both "of the foot" (genitive) and "your foot" (possessive). ayağı is likewise both the object form and "his/her foot". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: body
Other nouns that soften
Questions about ayak
What is the plural of ayak?
The plural of ayak ("foot") is ayaklar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of ayak is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: ayakları, ayaklarda, ayaklardan.
How do you say "to the foot" in Turkish?
"To the foot" is ayağa, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the foot" is ayakta (locative) and "from the foot" is ayaktan (ablative).
Why does ayak become ayağı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Ayak follows this rule, so the accusative is ayağı and "my foot" is ayağım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: ayakta, ayaklar.
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