-siz/-sız

Without (-siz)

Level 3

The suffix -siz (and its variants) is the Turkish equivalent of the English suffix -less or the preposition without. It attaches to nouns and pronouns to describe a lack of something.

How It Works

The -siz suffix is a productive way to create new words in Turkish. It is generally the antonym of the -li suffix when it means 'with' or 'having'.

1. Vowel Harmony Rules:
The suffix follows four-way vowel harmony based on the last vowel of the word:

  • -siz: After e, i (e.g., evsiz - homeless, sensiz - without you)
  • -sız: After a, ı (e.g., tatsız - tasteless, parasız - without money)
  • -suz: After o, u (e.g., tuzsuz - saltless, mutsuz - unhappy)
  • -süz: After ö, ü (e.g., gözsüz - eyeless, gülüşsüz - without a smile)

2. Usage with Nouns and Pronouns:
Unlike many other suffixes, -siz can attach to both nouns (şekersiz - without sugar) and personal pronouns (bensiz - without me, onsuz - without him/her).

3. Adjectives and Adverbs:
It can modify a noun directly (şekersiz çay) or describe an action (sessiz oturdu - he sat silently).

4. Semantic Note and Exceptions:
While usually the opposite of -li, some pairs have developed specific meanings. For example, evli means 'married', while evsiz means 'homeless'. Additionally, -siz is not used to negate origin; while İstanbullu means 'from Istanbul', you cannot use İstanbulsuz to mean 'not from Istanbul'.

5. Important Distinction:
This suffix attaches to nominals (nouns/pronouns). To say 'without doing' an action, you must use verb-based patterns like -meden.

Examples (6)

  1. Sensiz gitmek istemiyorum.

    I don't want to go without you.

    Word by Word: You-without to-go I-do-not-want.

    This shows the suffix attached to the pronoun 'sen' (you).

  2. Şekersiz kahve içiyorum.

    I am drinking coffee without sugar.

    Word by Word: Sugar-less coffee I-am-drinking.

    Here, -siz attaches to 'şeker' (sugar) to describe the coffee.

  3. O çok sabırsız bir insan.

    He is a very impatient person.

    Word by Word: He very patience-less a person.

    The suffix -sız attaches to 'sabır' (patience) to create the adjective 'impatient'.

  4. Tuzsuz yemek lezzetli değil.

    Food without salt is not tasty.

    Word by Word: Salt-less food tasty not.

    The suffix -suz follows the 'u' in 'tuz' (salt) due to four-way vowel harmony.

  5. Bütün gece uykusuz kaldım.

    I stayed awake (without sleep) all night.

    Word by Word: All night sleep-less I-stayed.

    Uykusuz (sleepless) comes from 'uyku' (sleep).

  6. Sessiz olun lütfen.

    Please be quiet (without sound).

    Word by Word: Sound-less be please.

    Ses (sound/voice) becomes an adjective meaning quiet or silent.

Common Mistakes

  • Attaching -siz to verb roots.

    Konuşsuz buraya gel.
    Konuşmadan buraya gel.

    -siz does not attach to a bare verb root. To say 'without speaking', the usual choice is the converb suffix -madan.

  • Ignoring four-way vowel harmony.

    Tuzsiz yemek.
    Tuzsuz yemek.

    Turkish suffixes must match the preceding vowel. Since 'tuz' has a back-rounded 'u', the suffix must be '-suz'.

  • Using 'yok' as an adjective.

    Para yok adam.
    Parasız adam.

    'Yok' means 'there is not' (a statement of existence). To describe a person as 'moneyless', you must use the adjective-forming suffix -sız.

How It Connects

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

-siz/-sızLevel 3Without (-siz)

Learn This First

To understand the suffix -siz/-sız, you need to be familiar with four-way vowel harmony to apply the correct form. It is also helpful to understand how adjectives are placed before nouns in Turkish and how this suffix acts as the negative counterpart to the '-li' (with/containing) suffix.

Words in This Pattern

-siz