5.1 Possessive Suffixes

Unlike English, the Turkmen language also adds a suffix to the object of possession. This may at times be redundant (Meniñ 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) -ñ kakañ, your father ejeñ, your mother	Your (sing, informal) -yñ, -iñ (-uñ, üñ) balykyñ, your fish itiñ, your dog	Your (plural, formal) -ñyz, ñiz kakañyz, your father ejeñiz, your mother	Your (plural, formal) -yñyz, -iñiz (-uñyz, üñiz) balykyñyz, your fish itiñiz, 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

meniñki mine biziñki ours

seniñki yours siziñki yours

onuñky his/hers/its olaryñky theirs

kimiñki whose? Jereniñki Jeren's

Bu meniñ kitabym=this is my book

Bu kitab meniñki=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 awtobusyñ 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:

ma∫yn ÿagy=motor oil (ma∫ynyñ ÿagy=one car's oil)

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

ÿylan deresi=snakeskin (ÿylanyñ deresi=that snake's skin)

mekdep howlysy=schoolyard (mekdebiñ 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 ∫ol üzümlerden süÿji

Bu üzümler ∫ol üzümlerden süÿjiräk = These grapes are sweeter than those grapes

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

Olaryñ köÿnekleri kelteräk = Their dresses are (generally) shorter.

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

Maral meniñ iñ gowy okuwçym = Maral is my best pupil.

Bu ma∫ynlardan seniñki has owadan = Of all these cars yours is the most beautiful.

Sekizinji klaslaryñ iñ ökde okuwçylaryny saÿla = Choose the most talented pupils of the eighth grade.