Kulak Declension: Turkish Cases of 'ear'
kulak means “ear”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (kulaklar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (kulağın). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (kulağı, kulağa) but stays hard before a consonant (kulakta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- kulaklar
- ears
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- kulağı
- accusative, “the ear”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.kulağı, kulağa, kulağım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).kulakta, kulaktan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).kulağım, kulağın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).kulağını, kulağında
Kulak in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | kulakear | kulaklarears |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | kulağıthe ear (object) | kulaklarıthe ears (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | kulağato the ear | kulaklarato the ears |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | kulaktain / at the ear | kulaklardain / at the ears |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | kulaktanfrom the ear | kulaklardanfrom the ears |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | kulağınthe ear's / of the ear | kulaklarınthe ears's / of the ears |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | kulaklawith the ear | kulaklarlawith the ears |
Possessive forms: “my ear”, “your ear”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (kulağında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | kulağımmy ear | kulağımımy ear (object) | kulağımato my ear | kulağımdain / at my ear | kulağımdanfrom my ear |
| seninyour | kulağınyour ear | kulağınıyour ear (object) | kulağınato your ear | kulağındain / at your ear | kulağındanfrom your ear |
| onunhis/her/its | kulağıhis/her ear | kulağınıhis/her ear (object) | kulağınato his/her ear | kulağındain / at his/her ear | kulağındanfrom his/her ear |
| bizimour | kulağımızour ear | kulağımızıour ear (object) | kulağımızato our ear | kulağımızdain / at our ear | kulağımızdanfrom our ear |
| sizinyour (pl.) | kulağınızyour (pl.) ear | kulağınızıyour (pl.) ear (object) | kulağınızato your (pl.) ear | kulağınızdain / at your (pl.) ear | kulağınızdanfrom your (pl.) ear |
| onlarıntheir | kulaklarıtheir ears | kulaklarınıtheir ears (object) | kulaklarınato their ears | kulaklarındain / at their ears | kulaklarındanfrom their ears |
Plural + possessive: kulaklarım (my ears) · kulakların (your ears) · kulakları (his/her ears) · kulaklarımız (our ears) · kulaklarınız (your (pl.) ears) · kulakları (their ears)
Kulak in example sentences
Watch out with kulak
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: kulağı, kulağa, kulağım (not
*kulakı). Before a consonant it stays hard: kulakta, kulaklar. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: kulakta, kulaktan (not
*kulakda). Rule → - Two meanings of kulağın. kulağın is both "of the ear" (genitive) and "your ear" (possessive). kulağı is likewise both the object form and "his/her ear". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: body
Other nouns that soften
Questions about kulak
What is the plural of kulak?
The plural of kulak ("ear") is kulaklar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of kulak is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: kulakları, kulaklarda, kulaklardan.
How do you say "to the ear" in Turkish?
"To the ear" is kulağa, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the ear" is kulakta (locative) and "from the ear" is kulaktan (ablative).
Why does kulak become kulağı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Kulak follows this rule, so the accusative is kulağı and "my ear" is kulağım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: kulakta, kulaklar.
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