benim evim

In Turkish, ownership is expressed through suffixes. Unlike English, where 'my' is a separate word, Turkish attaches a suffix to the noun itself. To emphasize who the owner is, we use a possessive pronoun in the genitive case.

1. The Pronouns (Genitive Case):

• Benim (My) - Irregular
• Senin (Your - singular/informal)
• Onun (His/Her/Its) - Uses a pronominal -n- in the pronoun itself
• Bizim (Our) - Irregular
• Sizin (Your - plural/polite)
• Onların (Their)

2. The Noun Suffixes:
The noun must take a suffix that matches the pronoun. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person singular suffixes, as well as the 1st and 2nd person plural suffixes, follow Four-Way Vowel Harmony (-ı, -i, -u, -ü). Only the 3rd person plural suffix follows Two-Way Vowel Harmony (-a, -e).

• -im / -m: My (e.g., evim, arabam)
• -in / -n: Your (e.g., evin, araban)
• -(s)i: His/Her/Its (e.g., evi, annesi)
• -imiz / -miz: Our (e.g., evimiz, arabamız)
• -iniz / -niz: Your - plural/polite (e.g., eviniz, arabanız)
• -leri / -ları: Their (e.g., evleri, arabaları)

3. Phonological Rules:

• Vowel-ending nouns: The 1st and 2nd person suffixes drop their initial vowel (baba-m). The 3rd person singular uses a buffer -s- (baba-sı). The 3rd person plural suffix (-leri/-ları) starts with a consonant and does not need a buffer. Exception: The word su (water) uses a -y- buffer: suyu (his/her water).
• Vowel Dropping (Epenthesis): Some two-syllable nouns drop their last vowel when a possessive suffix is added (e.g., şehir becomes şehrim, burun becomes burnu).
• Consonant Softening: If a noun ends in p, ç, t, or k, it usually softens when the suffix is added (e.g., kitap becomes kitabım). See consonant softening for details. Note: While many single-syllable words are exceptions (e.g., süt becomes sütüm), high-frequency words like kap (kabım), çok (çoğu), and dört (dördü) do undergo softening.
• The Buffer -n-: When adding a case ending after a 3rd person possessive suffix, you must use a buffer -n-. For example: onun arabasında (in his car).

4. The 'Onların' Ambiguity:
When using onların, the noun can be singular or plural. Onların evi means 'their house' (one house shared), while onların evleri can mean 'their houses' or 'their house' (the plural suffix -leri can also just mark the 3rd person plural owner).

5. The 'Pro-drop' Nuance:
Turkish is a pro-drop language. Because the suffix on the noun already tells you who the owner is, the pronoun is usually omitted unless you want to emphasize the owner.