Yaprak Declension: Turkish Cases of 'leaf'
yaprak means “leaf”. Its last vowel is a, so 2-way suffixes use a (yapraklar) and 4-way suffixes use ı (yaprağın). Its final k softens to ğ before a vowel (yaprağı, yaprağa) but stays hard before a consonant (yaprakta).
Quick facts
- Plural
- yapraklar
- leaves
- Harmony
- Back unrounded
- suffix vowels a / ı
- Ends in
- a consonant
- suffixes attach directly
- Object form
- yaprağı
- accusative, “the leaf”
Rules this noun follows
- Consonant softening — A final p, ç, t, k softens to b, c, d, ğ before a vowel.yaprağı, yaprağa, yaprağım
- Consonant hardening — After f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p a suffix-initial d becomes t (and c becomes ç).yaprakta, yapraktan
- Linking vowel — A harmonised vowel is inserted after a consonant (kitab-ı-m).yaprağım, yaprağın
- Pronominal n — After a 3rd-person possessive, case suffixes take n (arabası-n-ı, evi-n-de).yaprağını, yaprağında
Yaprak in all seven cases
The added suffix is highlighted. Plural forms put -lar before the case ending.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| NominativeYalın hâl · no ending | yaprakleaf | yapraklarleaves |
| AccusativeBelirtme hâli · -(y)I | yaprağıthe leaf (object) | yapraklarıthe leaves (object) |
| DativeYönelme hâli · -(y)A | yaprağato the leaf | yapraklarato the leaves |
| LocativeBulunma hâli · -DA | yapraktain / at the leaf | yapraklardain / at the leaves |
| AblativeAyrılma hâli · -DAn | yapraktanfrom the leaf | yapraklardanfrom the leaves |
| Genitiveİlgi hâli · -(n)In | yaprağınthe leaf's / of the leaf | yapraklarınthe leaves's / of the leaves |
| InstrumentalVasıta hâli · -(y)lA | yapraklawith the leaf | yapraklarlawith the leaves |
Possessive forms: “my leaf”, “your leaf”…
The possessive suffix comes first, then the case. After the 3rd-person forms a case ending takes an extra n (yaprağında). See possessive suffixes.
| Owner | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Locative | Ablative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| benimmy | yaprağımmy leaf | yaprağımımy leaf (object) | yaprağımato my leaf | yaprağımdain / at my leaf | yaprağımdanfrom my leaf |
| seninyour | yaprağınyour leaf | yaprağınıyour leaf (object) | yaprağınato your leaf | yaprağındain / at your leaf | yaprağındanfrom your leaf |
| onunhis/her/its | yaprağıhis/her leaf | yaprağınıhis/her leaf (object) | yaprağınato his/her leaf | yaprağındain / at his/her leaf | yaprağındanfrom his/her leaf |
| bizimour | yaprağımızour leaf | yaprağımızıour leaf (object) | yaprağımızato our leaf | yaprağımızdain / at our leaf | yaprağımızdanfrom our leaf |
| sizinyour (pl.) | yaprağınızyour (pl.) leaf | yaprağınızıyour (pl.) leaf (object) | yaprağınızato your (pl.) leaf | yaprağınızdain / at your (pl.) leaf | yaprağınızdanfrom your (pl.) leaf |
| onlarıntheir | yapraklarıtheir leaves | yapraklarınıtheir leaves (object) | yapraklarınato their leaves | yapraklarındain / at their leaves | yapraklarındanfrom their leaves |
Plural + possessive: yapraklarım (my leaves) · yaprakların (your leaves) · yaprakları (his/her leaves) · yapraklarımız (our leaves) · yapraklarınız (your (pl.) leaves) · yaprakları (their leaves)
Yaprak in example sentences
Watch out with yaprak
- Softening before vowels. Final k softens before a vowel: yaprağı, yaprağa, yaprağım (not
*yaprakı). Before a consonant it stays hard: yaprakta, yapraklar. Rule → - Locative with t, not d. After a voiceless consonant the locative and ablative start with t: yaprakta, yapraktan (not
*yaprakda). Rule → - Two meanings of yaprağın. yaprağın is both "of the leaf" (genitive) and "your leaf" (possessive). yaprağı is likewise both the object form and "his/her leaf". Rule →
Related nouns and resources
Related nouns: nature & weather
Other nouns that soften
Questions about yaprak
What is the plural of yaprak?
The plural of yaprak ("leaf") is yapraklar. The plural suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony: the last vowel of yaprak is a, a back vowel, so it takes -lar. The plural then takes case endings: yaprakları, yapraklarda, yapraklardan.
How do you say "to the leaf" in Turkish?
"To the leaf" is yaprağa, the dative case (-a). Similarly, "in / at the leaf" is yaprakta (locative) and "from the leaf" is yapraktan (ablative).
Why does yaprak become yaprağı?
Final p, ç, t and k soften to b, c, d and ğ (g after n) when a vowel follows. Yaprak follows this rule, so the accusative is yaprağı and "my leaf" is yaprağım. Before a consonant the hard letter stays: yaprakta, yapraklar.
Drill Turkish noun cases in the TurkLogic app
Turn forms like yaprağı, yaprağa and yaprağım into quick quizzes with audio and spaced repetition.
Free Download • In-App Purchases