Ekmek Declension: Turkish Cases of 'bread'
ekmek means “bread”. Its last vowel is e, so 2-way suffixes use e (ekmekler) and 4-way suffixes use i (ekmeğin). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (ekmeği, ekmeğe) but stays hard before a consonant (ekmekte).
Quick facts
- Plural
- ekmekler
- bread
- Harmony
- Front unrounded
- suffix vowels e / i
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- ekmeği
- accusative, “the bread”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.ekmeği, ekmeğe, ekmeğim
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).ekmekte, ekmekten
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).ekmeğim, ekmeğin
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).ekmeğini, ekmeğinde
Ekmek in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -ler before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | ekmekbread | ekmeklerbread |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | ekmeğithe bread (object) | ekmeklerithe bread (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | ekmeğeto the bread | ekmeklereto the bread |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | ekmektein / at the bread | ekmeklerdein / at the bread |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | ekmektenfrom the bread | ekmeklerdenfrom the bread |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | ekmeğinthe bread's / of the bread | ekmeklerinthe bread's / of the bread |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | ekmeklewith the bread | ekmeklerlewith the bread |
Possessive forms: “my bread”, “your bread”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (ekmeğinde). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | ekmeğimmy bread | ekmeğimimy bread (object) | ekmeğimeto my bread | ekmeğimdein / at my bread | ekmeğimdenfrom my bread |
| seninyour | ekmeğinyour bread | ekmeğiniyour bread (object) | ekmeğineto your bread | ekmeğindein / at your bread | ekmeğindenfrom your bread |
| onunhis/her/its | ekmeğihis/her bread | ekmeğinihis/her bread (object) | ekmeğineto his/her bread | ekmeğindein / at his/her bread | ekmeğindenfrom his/her bread |
| bizimour | ekmeğimizour bread | ekmeğimiziour bread (object) | ekmeğimizeto our bread | ekmeğimizdein / at our bread | ekmeğimizdenfrom our bread |
| sizinyour (pl.) | ekmeğinizyour (pl.) bread | ekmeğiniziyour (pl.) bread (object) | ekmeğinizeto your (pl.) bread | ekmeğinizdein / at your (pl.) bread | ekmeğinizdenfrom your (pl.) bread |
| onlarıntheir | ekmekleritheir bread | ekmeklerinitheir bread (object) | ekmeklerineto their bread | ekmeklerindein / at their bread | ekmeklerindenfrom their bread |
Plural + possessive: ekmeklerim (my bread) · ekmeklerin (your bread) · ekmekleri (his/her bread) · ekmeklerimiz (our bread) · ekmekleriniz (your (pl.) bread) · ekmekleri (their bread)
Ekmek in example sentences
Watch out with ekmek
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: ekmeği, ekmeğe, ekmeğim (not
*ekmeki). Before a consonant it stays hard: ekmekte, ekmekler. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: ekmekte, ekmekten (not
*ekmekde). Rule → - Two meanings of ekmeğin. ekmeğin is both "of the bread" (genitive) and "your bread" (possessive). ekmeği is likewise both the object form and "his/her bread". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: food & drink
- bal honey
- balık fish
- çay tea
- çorba soup
- domates tomato
- elma apple
- et meat
- kahvaltı breakfast
- kahve coffee
- kebap kebab
Other nouns that soften
Questions about ekmek
What is the plural of ekmek?
The plural of ekmek ("bread") is ekmekler. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of ekmek is e, a front vowel, so it takes -ler. The plural then takes case endings: ekmekleri, ekmeklerde, ekmeklerden.
How do you say "to the bread" in Turkish?
"To the bread" is ekmeğe, the dative case (-e). Similarly, "in / at the bread" is ekmekte (locative) and "from the bread" is ekmekten (ablative).
Why does ekmek become ekmeği?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Ekmek follows this rule, so the accusative is ekmeği and "my bread" is ekmeğim. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: ekmekte, ekmekler.
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