5.1 Possessive Suffixes

Unlike English, the Turkmen language also adds a suffix to the object of possession. This may at times be redundant (Meniň kakam geldi. = My father-(my) came.) but often the possessive participle is omitted (Kakam geldi. = Father-(my) came.) so the suffix alone shows possession.

Vowel ending	Consonant Ending	Vowel ending	Consonant Ending
My -m kakam, my father ejem, my mother	My -ym, -im (-um, üm) balykym, my fish itim, my dog	Our -myz, -miz kakamyz, our father ejemiz, our mother	Our -ymyz, -imiz (-umyz, ümiz) balykymyz, our fish itimiz, our dog
Your (sing, informal) -ň kakaň, your father ejeň, your mother	Your (sing, informal) -yň, -iň (-uň, üň) balykyň, your fish itiň, your dog	Your (plural, formal) -ňyz, ňiz kakaňyz, your father ejeňiz, your mother	Your (plural, formal) -yňyz, -iňiz (-uňyz, üňiz) balykyňyz, your fish itiňiz, your dog
His, her, its -sy, -si kakasy, her father ejesi, her mother	His, her, its -y, -i balyky, his fish iti, his dog	Their -sy, -si kakasy, their father ejesi, their mother	Their y, -i balyky, their fish iti, their dog

6.0 The Absolute Posessive

meniňki mine biziňki ours

seniňki yours siziňki yours

onuňky his/hers/its olaryňky theirs

kimiňki whose? Jereniňki Jeren's

Bu meniň kitabym=this is my book

Bu kitab meniňki=this book is mine

7.0 Nouns in Direct Relation

Turkmen contains certain pairs of nouns that are in "direct relation," or which together illustrate a concept, exist without use of the posessive suffixes. For example, the general concept of "bus stop" is rendered as awtobus duralgasy, whereas the posessive awtobusyň duralgasy would indicate "one bus's stop." In these direct relation pairs, the first noun, in its nominative form, acts more as an adjective than a noun, specifying the genreal meaning of the two-word concept. Other examples are as such:

maşyn ýagy=motor oil (maşynyň ýagy=one car's oil)

miwe sogy=fruit juice (miweniň sogy=one fruit's juice)

ýylan deresi=snakeskin (ýylanyň deresi=that snake's skin)

mekdep howlysy=schoolyard (mekdebiň howlysy=a school's yard)

Note that the second noun is in its "posessed" form with the appropriate -i, -y, -si, or -sy ending.

8.0 Coparatives & Superlatives

To form the comparative, the -dan/den suffix (than) is added to the noun being compared, and the suffix -rak or -räk is then added to the adjective. As in the following examples, the -rak/räk ending is not mandatory:

Bu üzümler şol üzümlerden süýji

Bu üzümler şol üzümlerden süýjiräk = These grapes are sweeter than those grapes

The -rak/räk ending can be used to indicate a comparitive idea without the actual comparative structure:

Olaryň köýnekleri kelteräk = Their dresses are (generally) shorter.

To form the superlative, the words iň or has (most) are added before the adjective:

Maral meniň iň gowy okuwçym = Maral is my best pupil.

Bu maşynlardan seniňki has owadan = Of all these cars yours is the most beautiful.

Sekizinji klaslaryň iň ökde okuwçylaryny saýla = Choose the most talented pupils of the eighth grade.