Elma Declension: Turkish Cases of 'apple'
elma means “apple”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (elmalar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (elmanın). Because it ends in a vowel, vowel-initial suffixes need a buffer letter: elmayı, elmanın, elması.
Quick facts
- Plural
- elmalar
- apples
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a vowel
- buffer letters y / n / s
- Object form
- elmayı
- accusative, “the apple”
Rules this noun follows
- Buffer letter y — y separates two vowels (kapı-y-ı).elmayı, elmaya, elmayla
- Buffer letter n — n separates two vowels in the genitive (kapı-n-ın).elmanın
- Buffer letter s — s separates two vowels in the 3rd-person possessive (kapı-s-ı).elması
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).elmasını, elmasında
Elma in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | elmaapple | elmalarapples |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | elmayıthe apple (object) | elmalarıthe apples (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | elmayato the apple | elmalarato the apples |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | elmadain / at the apple | elmalardain / at the apples |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | elmadanfrom the apple | elmalardanfrom the apples |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | elmanınthe apple's / of the apple | elmalarınthe apples's / of the apples |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | elmaylawith the apple | elmalarlawith the apples |
Possessive forms: “my apple”, “your apple”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (elmasında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | elmammy apple | elmamımy apple (object) | elmamato my apple | elmamdain / at my apple | elmamdanfrom my apple |
| seninyour | elmanyour apple | elmanıyour apple (object) | elmanato your apple | elmandain / at your apple | elmandanfrom your apple |
| onunhis/her/its | elmasıhis/her apple | elmasınıhis/her apple (object) | elmasınato his/her apple | elmasındain / at his/her apple | elmasındanfrom his/her apple |
| bizimour | elmamızour apple | elmamızıour apple (object) | elmamızato our apple | elmamızdain / at our apple | elmamızdanfrom our apple |
| sizinyour (pl.) | elmanızyour (pl.) apple | elmanızıyour (pl.) apple (object) | elmanızato your (pl.) apple | elmanızdain / at your (pl.) apple | elmanızdanfrom your (pl.) apple |
| onlarıntheir | elmalarıtheir apples | elmalarınıtheir apples (object) | elmalarınato their apples | elmalarındain / at their apples | elmalarındanfrom their apples |
Plural + possessive: elmalarım (my apples) · elmaların (your apples) · elmaları (his/her apples) · elmalarımız (our apples) · elmalarınız (your (pl.) apples) · elmaları (their apples)
Elma in example sentences
Watch out with elma
- Buffer letters after the final vowel. Vowel suffixes need a buffer: elmayı (y), elmanın (n), elması (s). After elması a case suffix adds n: elmasında, not
*elmasıda. Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: food & drink
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- ekmek bread
- et meat
- kahvaltı breakfast
- kahve coffee
- kebap kebab
Other A1 nouns ending in a vowel
Questions about elma
What is the plural of elma?
The plural of elma ("apple") is elmalar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of elma is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: elmaları, elmalarda, elmalardan.
How do you say "to the apple" in Turkish?
"To the apple" is elmaya, the dative case (-ya). Similarly, "in / at the apple" is elmada (locative) and "from the apple" is elmadan (ablative).
How do you say "my apple" in Turkish?
"My apple" is elmam (often with the pronoun: benim elmam). "Your apple" is elman, "his/her apple" is elması and "my apples" is elmalarım.
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