The accusative case, or belirtme durumu in Turkish, is an essential part of Turkish grammar that helps clarify which noun is directly affected by an action. When you want to specify a direct object—a person, place, or thing that is definite or specific—the accusative case comes into play.
In this post, we’ll cover when and how to use the accusative case. We also provide examples to make sure you understand this case. Hadi okuyalım!
What is the Accusative Case?
In Turkish, the accusative case is used when the direct object of a verb is specific and identifiable. Compare the following examples:
- Specific Object (Accusative Case):
- Filmi izledim. (I watched the movie. – a specific, identified movie)
- Indefinite Object (Nominative Case):
- Film izledim. (I watched a movie. – any movie, not a specific one)
The first sentence implies a particular movie (you use the accusative case), whereas the second suggests any movie.
Order that çay in Turkish
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How to Form The Accusative Case?
Accusative Case with Nouns
Noun + (y) ı/i/u/ü + verb
The accusative case endings in Turkish are -(y)ı, -(y)i, -(y)u and -(y)ü. They follow vowel harmony, meaning they adapt based on the final vowel of the noun they modify. Here is a simple breakdown:
| Final Vowel | Accusative Ending |
|---|---|
| a, ı | -(y)ı |
| e, i | -(y)i |
| o, u | -(y)u |
| ö, ü | -(y)ü |
Note: The consonant y is used as a buffer between vowels to maintain smooth pronunciation, as in arabayı (the car) or masayı (the table). Also, the accusative follows the consonant mutation rule — or “ketçap” rule — the consonants “k, t, ç, p” turn into “ğ, d, c, b”, as in çiçeği (the flower) or kitabı (the book). Most one-syllable words keep the hard consonant, as in süt (milk) and sütü (the milk).
Examples:
Below are examples of nouns in the accusative case, demonstrating the vowel harmony rules in action:
| Noun | Accusative | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| çiçek (flower) | çiçeği (the flower) | Çiçeği suladım. (I watered the flower.) |
| araba (car) | arabayı (the car) | Arabayı yıkıyorum. (I am washing the car.) |
| duvar (wall) | duvarı (the wall) | Duvarı boyuyorum. (I am painting the wall.) |
Accusative Case with Pronouns
Pronoun + ı/i/u + verb
In Turkish, personal pronouns always take the accusative case when they function as direct objects. Five of the six pronouns take the ending just as a noun does, onlar included. Only o changes shape first: it builds its case forms on the stem on-, which gives onu rather than the y form the rule above would predict. Here are some examples:
| Pronoun | Accusative Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ben (I) | beni | Beni unutma. (Don’t forget me.) |
| sen (you – singular) | seni | Seni arıyorum. (I am looking for you.) |
| o (he/she/it) | onu | Onu gördüm. (I saw him/her/it.) |
| biz (we) | bizi | Bizi bekleyin. (Wait for us.) |
| siz (you – plural/formal) | sizi | Sizi tanıyorum. (I know you.) |
| onlar (they) | onları | Onları arayacağım. (I will call them.) |
