Dolap Declension: Turkish Cases of 'cupboard'
dolap means “cupboard, wardrobe”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (dolaplar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (dolabın). Its final p softens to b before a vowel (dolabı, dolaba) but stays hard before a consonant (dolapta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- dolaplar
- cupboards
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- dolabı
- accusative, “the cupboard”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.dolabı, dolaba, dolabım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).dolapta, dolaptan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).dolabım, dolabın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).dolabını, dolabında
Dolap in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | dolapcupboard | dolaplarcupboards |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | dolabıthe cupboard (object) | dolaplarıthe cupboards (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | dolabato the cupboard | dolaplarato the cupboards |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | dolaptain / at the cupboard | dolaplardain / at the cupboards |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | dolaptanfrom the cupboard | dolaplardanfrom the cupboards |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | dolabınthe cupboard's / of the cupboard | dolaplarınthe cupboards's / of the cupboards |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | dolaplawith the cupboard | dolaplarlawith the cupboards |
Possessive forms: “my cupboard”, “your cupboard”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (dolabında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | dolabımmy cupboard | dolabımımy cupboard (object) | dolabımato my cupboard | dolabımdain / at my cupboard | dolabımdanfrom my cupboard |
| seninyour | dolabınyour cupboard | dolabınıyour cupboard (object) | dolabınato your cupboard | dolabındain / at your cupboard | dolabındanfrom your cupboard |
| onunhis/her/its | dolabıhis/her cupboard | dolabınıhis/her cupboard (object) | dolabınato his/her cupboard | dolabındain / at his/her cupboard | dolabındanfrom his/her cupboard |
| bizimour | dolabımızour cupboard | dolabımızıour cupboard (object) | dolabımızato our cupboard | dolabımızdain / at our cupboard | dolabımızdanfrom our cupboard |
| sizinyour (pl.) | dolabınızyour (pl.) cupboard | dolabınızıyour (pl.) cupboard (object) | dolabınızato your (pl.) cupboard | dolabınızdain / at your (pl.) cupboard | dolabınızdanfrom your (pl.) cupboard |
| onlarıntheir | dolaplarıtheir cupboards | dolaplarınıtheir cupboards (object) | dolaplarınato their cupboards | dolaplarındain / at their cupboards | dolaplarındanfrom their cupboards |
Plural + possessive: dolaplarım (my cupboards) · dolapların (your cupboards) · dolapları (his/her cupboards) · dolaplarımız (our cupboards) · dolaplarınız (your (pl.) cupboards) · dolapları (their cupboards)
Dolap in example sentences
Watch out with dolap
- Softening before vowels. Final p softens before a vowel: dolabı, dolaba, dolabım (not
*dolapı). Before a consonant it stays hard: dolapta, dolaplar. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: dolapta, dolaptan (not
*dolapda). Rule → - Two meanings of dolabın. dolabın is both "of the cupboard" (genitive) and "your cupboard" (possessive). dolabı is likewise both the object form and "his/her cupboard". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: home & furniture
- anahtar key
- bahçe garden
- banyo bathroom
- ev house
- kapı door
- masa table
- mutfak kitchen
- oda room
- pencere window
- sandalye chair
Other nouns that soften
Questions about dolap
What is the plural of dolap?
The plural of dolap ("cupboard") is dolaplar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of dolap is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: dolapları, dolaplarda, dolaplardan.
How do you say "to the cupboard" in Turkish?
"To the cupboard" is dolaba, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the cupboard" is dolapta (locative) and "from the cupboard" is dolaptan (ablative).
Why does dolap become dolabı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Dolap follows this rule, so the accusative is dolabı and "my cupboard" is dolabım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: dolapta, dolaplar.
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