TurkishLesson3-Section3(Using “var” and “yok” with Possessive Structures in Turkish)
Using “var” and “yok” with Possessive Structures in Turkish
In Turkish, “var” (have) and “yok” (don’t have) are used to express possession. The possessive suffix changes based on the subject pronoun (I, you, he/she/it, we, you all, they).
Even if “benim” (my) or “senin” (your)” is used explicitly, it is not necessary because the possessive suffix already indicates the owner. However, adding it makes the sentence clearer or more emphatic.
1. Sentence Structures for “var” and “yok”
- With first-person singular:
- Arabam var. → I have a car.
- Arabam yok. → I don’t have a car.
- Benim arabam var. → My car exists. (I have a car.)
- Benim arabam yok. → My car doesn’t exist. (I don’t have a car.)
💡 “Benim” is optional because “arabam” already includes the “-m” suffix, which shows possession.
2. Conjugation for All Subjects
| Turkish Pronoun | With “var” (I have…) | With “yok” (I don’t have…) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben (I) | Arabam var. | Arabam yok. | “-m” is added because araba ends in a vowel. |
| Sen (You, singular) | Araban var. | Araban yok. | “-n” is added because araba ends in a vowel. |
| O (He/She/It) | Arabası var. | Arabası yok. | “-sı” is added. Since araba ends in a vowel, we use “-s-“ as a buffer. |
| Biz (We) | Arabamız var. | Arabamız yok. | “-mız” is added. The vowel “ı” follows vowel harmony rules. |
| Siz (You, plural/formal) | Arabanız var. | Arabanız yok. | “-nız” is added. The vowel “ı” follows vowel harmony rules. |
| Onlar (They) | Arabaları var. | Arabaları yok. | “-ları” is added. Since araba ends in a vowel, no buffer consonant is needed. |
3. Why Are These Suffixes Used?
📌 The possessive suffix is chosen based on the last vowel of the noun (“araba”).
📌 Rules for Possessive Suffixes:
| Last Vowel in the Word | Possessive Suffix for “My” (1st person singular) | Possessive Suffix for “Your” (2nd person singular) | Possessive Suffix for “His/Her/Its” (3rd person singular) |
|---|---|---|---|
| a, ı | -m (Arabam) | -n (Araban) | -sı (Arabası) |
| e, i | -m (Elim) | -n (Elin) | -i (Eli) |
| o, u | -m (Oğlum) | -n (Oğlun) | -u (Oğlu) |
| ö, ü | -m (Gözüm) | -n (Gözün) | -ü (Gözü) |
💡 In third-person singular (O – He/She/It), if the word ends in a vowel, we add “-s-” before the suffix to maintain pronunciation flow.
💡 In plural form (Onlar – They), “-ları/-leri” is used, following vowel harmony.
4. Example Sentences with Different Verbs
The same possessive pattern can be used with other nouns and verbs:
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| Benim kalemim var. | I have a pen. |
| Senin kitabın var mı? | Do you have a book? |
| Onun telefonu yok. | He/She doesn’t have a phone. |
| Bizim evimiz var. | We have a house. |
| Sizin çantanız var mı? | Do you (plural) have a bag? |
| Onların köpeği yok. | They don’t have a dog. |
5. Key Takeaways
✔ “Benim” and other possessive pronouns are optional because the possessive suffix already shows ownership.
✔ The suffix is chosen based on vowel harmony, using buffer consonants (-s-) when necessary.
✔ This rule applies to all nouns, so you can use the same structure for different words and verbs.