bazı / her / bütün
Some, Every, All
Turkish uses bazı (some), her (every), and bütün (all/whole) as determiners. They always come before the noun they modify.
How It Works
These three words help you talk about quantities and groups:
- bazı (Some): Refers to a specific subset of a group. In Turkish, it is used with plural nouns. Note that it is only for countable items; for 'some water' or 'some bread,' use biraz instead.
- her (Every/Each): Focuses on individual members of a group. Even though the meaning feels plural, the noun must remain singular.
- bütün (All/Whole): Refers to the entirety. When used with a plural noun, it means 'all' (e.g., all students). When used with a singular noun, it means 'the whole' (e.g., the whole day).
These words are fixed and do not change based on vowel harmony.
Examples (5)
- Bazı insanlar sabahları erken kalkar.
Some people get up early in the morning.
Word by Word: Some people mornings early they-get-up.
'Bazı' is followed by the plural 'insanlar' (people).
- Her sabah spor yapıyorum.
I do exercise every morning.
Word by Word: Every morning sport I-am-doing.
'Her' is followed by the singular 'sabah' (morning).
- Bütün gün evde kitap okudum.
I read books at home the whole day.
Word by Word: Whole day at-home book I-read.
When 'bütün' is used with a singular noun like 'gün', it means 'the whole'.
- Bütün öğrenciler ödevlerini bitirdi.
All the students finished their homework.
Word by Word: All students their-homeworks they-finished.
When 'bütün' is used with a plural noun like 'öğrenciler', it means 'all'.
- Her çocuk dondurma sever.
Every child likes ice cream.
Word by Word: Every child ice-cream likes.
Even though we mean all children, 'her' requires the singular 'çocuk'.
Common Mistakes
Using a plural noun after 'her'.
Her günler spor yaparım.Her gün spor yaparım.In Turkish, 'her' (every) must always be followed by a singular noun, even if the concept is plural.
Using 'bütün' with a singular noun to mean 'all members'.
Bütün öğrenci geldi.Bütün öğrenciler geldi.Using 'bütün' with a singular noun means 'the whole [single object]'. To say 'all students', you must use the plural 'öğrenciler'.
Using 'bazı' for mass nouns (uncountable).
Bazı süt içmek istiyorum.Biraz süt içmek istiyorum.'Bazı' is only for countable items. For uncountable things like milk or water, use 'biraz' (a bit/some).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'bazı', 'her', and 'bütün', you need to know how adjectives are placed before nouns in Turkish. You also need to understand the plural suffix and the rule that certain quantifiers require the noun to remain in the singular form.
- Adjectives Come First
The words 'bazı', 'her', and 'bütün' function as adjectives or determiners that precede the noun they modify.
Level 1 - Numbers Take a Singular Noun
This pattern introduces the concept that certain quantifiers (like 'her') are followed by singular nouns in Turkish, similar to how numbers function.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- birThe Word Bir
'Bir' can sometimes mean 'a certain' or 'some' when used with singular nouns.
Level 1 - çok / az / birazVery, Little, A Bit
'Biraz' is used for 'some' with uncountable mass nouns, whereas 'bazı' is for countable items.
Level 1 - her günSaying How Often with Her
This pattern specifically covers the frequency usage of 'her'.
Level 1 - hiçAny and Never
'Hiç' is the negative counterpart, used for 'any' or 'none'.
Level 2 - biri / birisi / kimseSomeone and Anyone
These are pronouns related to 'some' and 'anyone' that stand alone without a noun.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice bazı / her / bütün in Bubblegum
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