Toprak Declension: Turkish Cases of 'soil'
toprak means “soil, earth”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (topraklar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (toprağın). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (toprağı, toprağa) but stays hard before a consonant (toprakta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- topraklar
- soils
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- toprağı
- accusative, “the soil”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.toprağı, toprağa, toprağım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).toprakta, topraktan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).toprağım, toprağın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).toprağını, toprağında
Toprak in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | topraksoil | topraklarsoils |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | toprağıthe soil (object) | topraklarıthe soils (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | toprağato the soil | topraklarato the soils |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | topraktain / at the soil | topraklardain / at the soils |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | topraktanfrom the soil | topraklardanfrom the soils |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | toprağınthe soil's / of the soil | topraklarınthe soils's / of the soils |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | topraklawith the soil | topraklarlawith the soils |
Possessive forms: “my soil”, “your soil”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (toprağında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | toprağımmy soil | toprağımımy soil (object) | toprağımato my soil | toprağımdain / at my soil | toprağımdanfrom my soil |
| seninyour | toprağınyour soil | toprağınıyour soil (object) | toprağınato your soil | toprağındain / at your soil | toprağındanfrom your soil |
| onunhis/her/its | toprağıhis/her soil | toprağınıhis/her soil (object) | toprağınato his/her soil | toprağındain / at his/her soil | toprağındanfrom his/her soil |
| bizimour | toprağımızour soil | toprağımızıour soil (object) | toprağımızato our soil | toprağımızdain / at our soil | toprağımızdanfrom our soil |
| sizinyour (pl.) | toprağınızyour (pl.) soil | toprağınızıyour (pl.) soil (object) | toprağınızato your (pl.) soil | toprağınızdain / at your (pl.) soil | toprağınızdanfrom your (pl.) soil |
| onlarıntheir | topraklarıtheir soils | topraklarınıtheir soils (object) | topraklarınato their soils | topraklarındain / at their soils | topraklarındanfrom their soils |
Plural + possessive: topraklarım (my soils) · toprakların (your soils) · toprakları (his/her soils) · topraklarımız (our soils) · topraklarınız (your (pl.) soils) · toprakları (their soils)
Toprak in example sentences
Watch out with toprak
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: toprağı, toprağa, toprağım (not
*toprakı). Before a consonant it stays hard: toprakta, topraklar. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: toprakta, topraktan (not
*toprakda). Rule → - Two meanings of toprağın. toprağın is both "of the soil" (genitive) and "your soil" (possessive). toprağı is likewise both the object form and "his/her soil". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: nature & weather
Other nouns that soften
Questions about toprak
What is the plural of toprak?
The plural of toprak ("soil") is topraklar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of toprak is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: toprakları, topraklarda, topraklardan.
How do you say "to the soil" in Turkish?
"To the soil" is toprağa, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the soil" is toprakta (locative) and "from the soil" is topraktan (ablative).
Why does toprak become toprağı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Toprak follows this rule, so the accusative is toprağı and "my soil" is toprağım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: toprakta, topraklar.
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