-ci/-cı

People and Jobs (-ci)

Level 3

The suffix -ci (and its variants) turns a noun into a person associated with that noun. It is most commonly used for professions (like 'baker'), habits (like 'liar'), or followers of a specific ideology.

How It Works

The -ci suffix is one of the most productive tools in Turkish word formation. Its primary role is to identify a person by their relationship to a specific object or concept.

1. Professions and Occupations:
It identifies someone who sells, makes, or deals with the root noun professionally.

  • Ekmek (bread) → Ekmekçi (baker)
  • Gözlük (glasses) → Gözlükçü (optician)
  • Futbol (football) → Futbolcu (football player)

2. Habits and Traits:
It describes a person who frequently does or possesses a certain quality.

  • Yalan (lie) → Yalancı (liar)
  • Şaka (joke) → Şakacı (joker)

3. Affiliations and Beliefs:
It is used for supporters of ideologies or specific people. Note that for sports team fans, Turkish uses the -li suffix (e.g., Fenerbahçeli) instead.

  • Milliyet (nation) → Milliyetçi (nationalist)
  • Akıl (reason) → Akılcı (rationalist)

Phonological Rules:
The suffix follows Four-Way Vowel Harmony and Consonant Assimilation:

  • Use -cı, -ci, -cu, -cü if the word ends in a vowel or a voiced consonant.
  • Use -çı, -çi, -çu, -çü if the word ends in a voiceless consonant (f, s, t, k, ç, ş, h, p).

Examples (5)

  1. Simitçiden taze simit aldım.

    I bought fresh simits from the simit-seller.

    Word by Word: Simit-seller-from fresh simit I-bought.

    Here, -çi is added to 'simit' (which ends in a voiceless 't') to denote the person selling it.

  2. O çok şakacı bir çocuktur.

    He is a very playful/jokey child.

    Word by Word: He very joke-maker a child-is.

    The suffix -cı is added to 'şaka' (joke) to describe a personality trait.

  3. Babam otuz yıl boyunca bu fabrikada işçi olarak çalıştı.

    My father worked as a worker in this factory for thirty years.

    Word by Word: My-father thirty year throughout this factory-in worker as worked.

    The word 'iş' (work) becomes 'işçi' (worker) by adding the suffix.

  4. En sevdiğim futbolcu dün gol attı.

    My favorite footballer scored a goal yesterday.

    Word by Word: Most my-liked football-person yesterday goal threw.

    The suffix -cu follows the 'o' in 'futbol' due to four-way vowel harmony.

  5. Gözlükçüye gidip yeni bir çerçeve seçtim.

    I went to the optician and chose a new frame.

    Word by Word: Optician-to going new a frame I-chose.

    Adding -çü to 'gözlük' (glasses) creates the profession of the person who sells them.

Common Mistakes

  • Ignoring vowel harmony by using only '-ci'.

    futbolci
    futbolcu

    Turkish suffixes must match the preceding vowel. Since 'futbol' ends with 'o', the suffix must be '-cu'.

  • Forgetting consonant hardening (assimilation).

    kitapcı
    kitapçı

    If a word ends in a voiceless consonant like 'p', the 'c' in the suffix must harden to 'ç'.

  • Confusing the person (-ci) with the object or place (-lik).

    Gözlükten yeni bir cam aldım.
    Gözlükçüden yeni bir cam aldım.

    'Gözlük' means 'glasses'. To refer to the person or the shop, you must add the '-ci' suffix.

How It Connects

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

-ci/-cıLevel 3People and Jobs (-ci)

Learn This First

To learn the -ci/-cı suffix, you need to understand how Turkish vowels harmonize in four ways and how consonants assimilate when a suffix starting with 'c' follows a voiceless consonant.

Words in This Pattern

-ci