Meslek Declension: Turkish Cases of 'profession'
meslek means “profession”. Its last vowel is e, so 2-way suffixes use e (meslekler) and 4-way suffixes use i (mesleğin). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (mesleği, mesleğe) but stays hard before a consonant (meslekte).
Quick facts
- Plural
- meslekler
- professions
- Harmony
- Front unrounded
- suffix vowels e / i
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- mesleği
- accusative, “the profession”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.mesleği, mesleğe, mesleğim
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).meslekte, meslekten
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).mesleğim, mesleğin
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).mesleğini, mesleğinde
Meslek in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -ler before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | meslekprofession | mesleklerprofessions |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | mesleğithe profession (object) | mesleklerithe professions (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | mesleğeto the profession | mesleklereto the professions |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | meslektein / at the profession | mesleklerdein / at the professions |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | meslektenfrom the profession | mesleklerdenfrom the professions |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | mesleğinthe profession's / of the profession | mesleklerinthe professions's / of the professions |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | mesleklewith the profession | mesleklerlewith the professions |
Possessive forms: “my profession”, “your profession”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (mesleğinde). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | mesleğimmy profession | mesleğimimy profession (object) | mesleğimeto my profession | mesleğimdein / at my profession | mesleğimdenfrom my profession |
| seninyour | mesleğinyour profession | mesleğiniyour profession (object) | mesleğineto your profession | mesleğindein / at your profession | mesleğindenfrom your profession |
| onunhis/her/its | mesleğihis/her profession | mesleğinihis/her profession (object) | mesleğineto his/her profession | mesleğindein / at his/her profession | mesleğindenfrom his/her profession |
| bizimour | mesleğimizour profession | mesleğimiziour profession (object) | mesleğimizeto our profession | mesleğimizdein / at our profession | mesleğimizdenfrom our profession |
| sizinyour (pl.) | mesleğinizyour (pl.) profession | mesleğiniziyour (pl.) profession (object) | mesleğinizeto your (pl.) profession | mesleğinizdein / at your (pl.) profession | mesleğinizdenfrom your (pl.) profession |
| onlarıntheir | meslekleritheir professions | mesleklerinitheir professions (object) | mesleklerineto their professions | mesleklerindein / at their professions | mesleklerindenfrom their professions |
Plural + possessive: mesleklerim (my professions) · mesleklerin (your professions) · meslekleri (his/her professions) · mesleklerimiz (our professions) · meslekleriniz (your (pl.) professions) · meslekleri (their professions)
Meslek in example sentences
Watch out with meslek
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: mesleği, mesleğe, mesleğim (not
*mesleki). Before a consonant it stays hard: meslekte, meslekler. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: meslekte, meslekten (not
*meslekde). Rule → - Two meanings of mesleğin. mesleğin is both "of the profession" (genitive) and "your profession" (possessive). mesleği is likewise both the object form and "his/her profession". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: work & money
- haber news
- plan plan
- sorun problem
- şirket company
- toplantı meeting
- borç debt
- fiyat price
- görev duty
- hesap bill
- iş work
Other nouns that soften
Questions about meslek
What is the plural of meslek?
The plural of meslek ("profession") is meslekler. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of meslek is e, a front vowel, so it takes -ler. The plural then takes case endings: meslekleri, mesleklerde, mesleklerden.
How do you say "to the profession" in Turkish?
"To the profession" is mesleğe, the dative case (-e). Similarly, "in / at the profession" is meslekte (locative) and "from the profession" is meslekten (ablative).
Why does meslek become mesleği?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Meslek follows this rule, so the accusative is mesleği and "my profession" is mesleğim. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: meslekte, meslekler.
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