Turkish Demonstratives: Bu, Şu, O (This, That & Locations)
The 3 Degrees of Distance in Turkish
Unlike English which has two distance levels (this vs that), Turkish features three distinct distance pronouns:
- Bu: This → Something very close to the speaker (within reach or in hand).
- Şu: That → Something a little further away, or used to draw the listener’s immediate attention to something new.
- O: That over there / He / She / It → Distant from both speaker and listener, or out of sight.
1. Demonstratives as Pronouns vs Adjectives
When Used as Adjectives:
When placing bu, şu, or o directly before a noun, they never change form:
Bu kitap= This bookŞu araba= That carO adam= That man
When Used as Standalone Pronouns (Plurals):
When pointing at objects without naming the noun, Turkish adds the plural suffix -lar / -ler. Notice the buffer letter ‘n’ that appears:
- Bunlar: These (Bu + n + lar)
- Şunlar: Those (Şu + n + lar)
- Onlar: Those over there / They (O + n + lar)
2. Location Words: Burası, Şurası, Orası
To point out places (“here”, “there”, “over there”), Turkish combines demonstratives with -rası / -resi:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Burası | This place / Here | Burası neresi? (What place is this?) → Burası İstanbul. |
| Şurası | That place nearby | Şurası çok kalabalık. (That spot is very crowded.) |
| Orası | That place over there | Orası neresi? (What is that place over there?) |
