-ları/-ləri (mənsubiyyət)

Plural-possessor Possessive

Level 2

The suffix -ları/-ləri is used to show that something belongs to 'them'. It follows 2-way vowel harmony.

How It Works

This pattern is used when the owner is plural (e.g., 'the students', 'they').

1. Morphology:
The suffix follows 2-way vowel harmony:

  • -ları: Used after back vowels (a, ı, o, u). Example: kitab → kitabları
  • -ləri: Used after front vowels (e, ə, i, ö, ü). Example: ev → evləri

Unlike the singular version, this suffix never uses a buffer 's' because it starts with the consonant 'l'.

2. The Ambiguity Rule:
The word evləri can mean:

  • 'His/her houses' (Singular owner + plural objects)
  • 'Their house' (Plural owner + singular object)
  • 'Their houses' (Plural owner + plural objects)

To avoid confusion, speakers often use the singular suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü if the plural owner is already mentioned (e.g., Onların evi instead of Onların evləri).

Examples (4)

  1. Onların evi çox böyükdür.

    Their house is very big.

    Word by Word: Their house-its very big-is.

    Here, the singular suffix '-i' is used with 'onların' to clearly indicate one house owned by multiple people.

  2. Uşaqların oyuncaqları haradadır?

    Where are the children's toys?

    Word by Word: Children-of toys-their where-is?

    The suffix '-ları' indicates that the toys belong to the children (plural possessor).

  3. Tələbələr öz kitablarını açdılar.

    The students opened their books.

    Word by Word: Students own books-their-ACC opened-they.

    This shows the possessive suffix followed by the accusative case.

  4. Qonşuların bağları çox gözəldir.

    The neighbors' gardens are very beautiful.

    Word by Word: Neighbors-of gardens-their very beautiful-is.

    Uses '-ları' because the possessor (neighbors) is plural.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding two plural suffixes for plural owners and plural objects.

    Onların kitab-lar-ları
    Onların kitabları

    You only need one '-ları/-ləri' suffix. It simultaneously covers the plurality of the owner and/or the object.

  • Using a buffer 's' before the plural possessive suffix.

    Onların qapıları -> qapı-s-ları
    Onların qapıları

    The buffer 's' is only for the 3rd person singular suffix. Since '-ları' starts with a consonant (l), no buffer is needed.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

-ları/-ləri (mənsubiyyət)Level 2Plural-possessor Possessive

Learn This First

To understand the third-person plural possessive, you must first understand how to mark the possessor using the genitive case. Additionally, you need to be familiar with the plural suffix and the basic third-person singular possessive, as the plural possessive construction either combines these elements or uses the singular form in specific contexts.