Bebek Declension: Turkish Cases of 'baby'
bebek means “baby”. Its last vowel is e, so 2-way suffixes use e (bebekler) and 4-way suffixes use i (bebeğin). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (bebeği, bebeğe) but stays hard before a consonant (bebekte).
Quick facts
- Plural
- bebekler
- babies
- Harmony
- Front unrounded
- suffix vowels e / i
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- bebeği
- accusative, “the baby”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.bebeği, bebeğe, bebeğim
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).bebekte, bebekten
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).bebeğim, bebeğin
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).bebeğini, bebeğinde
Bebek in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -ler before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | bebekbaby | bebeklerbabies |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | bebeğithe baby (object) | bebeklerithe babies (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | bebeğeto the baby | bebeklereto the babies |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | bebektein / at the baby | bebeklerdein / at the babies |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | bebektenfrom the baby | bebeklerdenfrom the babies |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | bebeğinthe baby's / of the baby | bebeklerinthe babies's / of the babies |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | bebeklewith the baby | bebeklerlewith the babies |
Possessive forms: “my baby”, “your baby”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (bebeğinde). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | bebeğimmy baby | bebeğimimy baby (object) | bebeğimeto my baby | bebeğimdein / at my baby | bebeğimdenfrom my baby |
| seninyour | bebeğinyour baby | bebeğiniyour baby (object) | bebeğineto your baby | bebeğindein / at your baby | bebeğindenfrom your baby |
| onunhis/her/its | bebeğihis/her baby | bebeğinihis/her baby (object) | bebeğineto his/her baby | bebeğindein / at his/her baby | bebeğindenfrom his/her baby |
| bizimour | bebeğimizour baby | bebeğimiziour baby (object) | bebeğimizeto our baby | bebeğimizdein / at our baby | bebeğimizdenfrom our baby |
| sizinyour (pl.) | bebeğinizyour (pl.) baby | bebeğiniziyour (pl.) baby (object) | bebeğinizeto your (pl.) baby | bebeğinizdein / at your (pl.) baby | bebeğinizdenfrom your (pl.) baby |
| onlarıntheir | bebekleritheir babies | bebeklerinitheir babies (object) | bebeklerineto their babies | bebeklerindein / at their babies | bebeklerindenfrom their babies |
Plural + possessive: bebeklerim (my babies) · bebeklerin (your babies) · bebekleri (his/her babies) · bebeklerimiz (our babies) · bebekleriniz (your (pl.) babies) · bebekleri (their babies)
Bebek in example sentences
Watch out with bebek
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: bebeği, bebeğe, bebeğim (not
*bebeki). Before a consonant it stays hard: bebekte, bebekler. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: bebekte, bebekten (not
*bebekde). Rule → - Two meanings of bebeğin. bebeğin is both "of the baby" (genitive) and "your baby" (possessive). bebeği is likewise both the object form and "his/her baby". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: family & people
- abla older sister
- adam man
- ağabey older brother
- aile family
- amca uncle
- anne mother
- arkadaş friend
- baba father
- çocuk child
- dede grandfather
Other nouns that soften
Questions about bebek
What is the plural of bebek?
The plural of bebek ("baby") is bebekler. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of bebek is e, a front vowel, so it takes -ler. The plural then takes case endings: bebekleri, bebeklerde, bebeklerden.
How do you say "to the baby" in Turkish?
"To the baby" is bebeğe, the dative case (-e). Similarly, "in / at the baby" is bebekte (locative) and "from the baby" is bebekten (ablative).
Why does bebek become bebeği?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Bebek follows this rule, so the accusative is bebeği and "my baby" is bebeğim. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: bebekte, bebekler.
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