Compounds Written as One Word

Level 2

Turkish compound nouns (birleşik isimler) are written as one word when the individual words lose their literal meaning to form a new concept, or when they merge due to sound changes (like vowel drops).

How It Works

Turkish compounds follow specific orthographic rules set by the TDK. They are written as one word in the following cases:

  • Meaning Shift: When the second word (or both) loses its original meaning. For example, hanımeli (honeysuckle) is not literally a lady's hand. If the second word retains its literal meaning, like köpek balığı (shark), they are written separately.
  • Sound Changes: If the combination causes a vowel to drop or a consonant to change. Kahve + altı becomes kahvaltı (breakfast).
  • Lexicalized Phrases: While most compound nouns are written separately (like elma suyu), a few common objects are lexicalized as one word, such as buzdolabı (refrigerator).
  • Abstract Directions: Words like alt (under) or üst (over) are written together when they indicate an abstract concept, such as bilinçaltı (subconscious). When they refer to a concrete place, they are usually written separately (alt kat).
  • Institutional Houses: Words ending in -evi that denote institutions are joined, such as öğretmenevi (teacher's guest house). Literal dwellings like dağ evi (mountain house) are separate.
  • Imperative Compounds: Words formed using the simple command form, such as çekyat (sofa bed) or kapkaç (snatch-and-run).
  • Past Tense Compounds: Words formed with simple past suffixes, such as gecekondu (slum) or mirasyedi (spendthrift).
  • Tools and Roles: Compounds ending in aorist or participle suffixes that denote a specific tool or role, such as gökdelen (skyscraper) or cankurtaran (lifeguard).
  • Specific Suffixes: Compounds ending in -sever (hayvansever - animal lover) and -zede (depremzede - earthquake victim) are joined. Titles ending in -başı (ustabaşı - foreman) are joined, but time expressions like hafta başı (start of the week) are separate.

Examples (5)

  1. Sütü hemen buzdolabına koymalısın.

    You should put the milk in the fridge immediately.

    Word by Word: Milk-acc immediately ice-cupboard-its-to you-must-put.

    'Buzdolabı' is a compound of 'buz' (ice) and 'dolap' (cupboard). It is written as one word because it represents a specific appliance.

  2. Bahçedeki hanımeliler çok güzel kokuyor.

    The honeysuckles in the garden smell very beautiful.

    Word by Word: Garden-in-which honeysuckle-plural very beautiful smells.

    'Hanımeli' is written together because the literal meaning (lady's hand) has shifted to a specific flower name.

  3. Yeni bir ayakkabı almam gerekiyor.

    I need to buy a new pair of shoes.

    Word by Word: New a foot-cover buy-my is-necessary.

    'Ayakkabı' (shoe) comes from 'ayak' (foot) and 'kap' (container/cover). It is a fully lexicalized single word.

  4. Pazartesi günü toplantımız var.

    We have a meeting on Monday.

    Word by Word: Sunday-after day-its meeting-our there-is.

    'Pazartesi' is a compound of 'Pazar' and 'ertesi'. It is written together due to the vowel drop (Pazar ertesi -> Pazartesi).

  5. Bilinçaltı insanın davranışlarını etkiler.

    The subconscious affects a person's behavior.

    Word by Word: Consciousness-under human-gen behavior-plural-acc affects.

    'Bilinçaltı' is written as one word because 'alt' (under) is used in an abstract sense here.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the buffer 'n' when adding case endings to compounds.

    Buzdolabıa bak.
    Buzdolabına bak.

    Since these compounds often end in the third-person possessive marker, you must use the buffer consonant -n- before case endings.

  • Writing all 'single concepts' as one word.

    Havayolu / Gözyaşı
    Hava yolu / Gözyaşı

    Not every single concept is written as one word. While 'gözyaşı' (teardrop) is joined due to a meaning shift, 'hava yolu' (airline) remains two words. The default for a compound noun is to be written separately unless specific rules apply.

How It Connects

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

Compounds Written as One WordLevel 2

Learn This First

To understand compound nouns written as one word, you first need to understand how Turkish forms noun-noun relationships using the indefinite noun phrase structure. This involves knowing how to apply the third-person possessive suffix and managing consonant changes like softening when these words merge.