Kap Declension: Turkish Cases of 'container'
kap means “container”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (kaplar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (kabın). Its final p softens to b before a vowel (kabı, kaba) but stays hard before a consonant (kapta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- kaplar
- containers
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- kabı
- accusative, “the container”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.kabı, kaba, kabım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).kapta, kaptan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).kabım, kabın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).kabını, kabında
Kap in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | kapcontainer | kaplarcontainers |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | kabıthe container (object) | kaplarıthe containers (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | kabato the container | kaplarato the containers |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | kaptain / at the container | kaplardain / at the containers |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | kaptanfrom the container | kaplardanfrom the containers |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | kabınthe container's / of the container | kaplarınthe containers's / of the containers |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | kaplawith the container | kaplarlawith the containers |
Possessive forms: “my container”, “your container”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (kabında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | kabımmy container | kabımımy container (object) | kabımato my container | kabımdain / at my container | kabımdanfrom my container |
| seninyour | kabınyour container | kabınıyour container (object) | kabınato your container | kabındain / at your container | kabındanfrom your container |
| onunhis/her/its | kabıhis/her container | kabınıhis/her container (object) | kabınato his/her container | kabındain / at his/her container | kabındanfrom his/her container |
| bizimour | kabımızour container | kabımızıour container (object) | kabımızato our container | kabımızdain / at our container | kabımızdanfrom our container |
| sizinyour (pl.) | kabınızyour (pl.) container | kabınızıyour (pl.) container (object) | kabınızato your (pl.) container | kabınızdain / at your (pl.) container | kabınızdanfrom your (pl.) container |
| onlarıntheir | kaplarıtheir containers | kaplarınıtheir containers (object) | kaplarınato their containers | kaplarındain / at their containers | kaplarındanfrom their containers |
Plural + possessive: kaplarım (my containers) · kapların (your containers) · kapları (his/her containers) · kaplarımız (our containers) · kaplarınız (your (pl.) containers) · kapları (their containers)
Kap in example sentences
Watch out with kap
- A one-syllable word that softens. Final p softens before a vowel: kabı, kaba, kabım (not
*kapı). Before a consonant it stays hard: kapta, kaplar. Most one-syllable words never soften (top → topu), so this one is worth memorising. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: kapta, kaptan (not
*kapda). Rule → - Two meanings of kabın. kabın is both "of the container" (genitive) and "your container" (possessive). kabı is likewise both the object form and "his/her container". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: kitchen & tableware
Other nouns that soften
Questions about kap
What is the plural of kap?
The plural of kap ("container") is kaplar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of kap is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: kapları, kaplarda, kaplardan.
How do you say "to the container" in Turkish?
"To the container" is kaba, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the container" is kapta (locative) and "from the container" is kaptan (ablative).
Why does kap become kabı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Kap follows this rule, so the accusative is kabı and "my container" is kabım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: kapta, kaplar.
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