These are called Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives because they demonstrate which item is being mentioned
bu - this (here) or this (which was just mentioned)
bunlar - these
şu - that (nearby) or that (which follows on)
şunlar - those (nearby)
o - that (over there, yonder)
onlar - those (over there)
bu kedi - this cat
şu fincan - that cup
o adam - that man over there
The Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives - this, that, that yonder - use buffer letter -n- when adding further suffixes as the examples show below:.
| The Singular Forms | The Plural Forms |
|---|---|
| bu - this | bunlar - these |
| buna - to this | bunlara - to these |
| bunun - of this | bunların - of these |
| bunu - this (object) | bunları - these (obj.) |
| bunda - in/on/at this | bunlarda - in/etc. these |
| bundan - from this | bunlardan - from these |
| bununla - with this | bunlarla - with these |
| The Singular Forms | The Plural Forms |
|---|---|
| şu - that | şunlar - those |
| şuna - to that | şunlara - to those |
| şunun - of that | şunların - of those |
| şunu - that (object) | şunları - those (obj.) |
| şunda - in/on/at that | şunlarda - on those |
| şundan - from that | şunlardan - from those |
| şununla - with that | şunlarla - with those |
| The Singular Forms | The Plural Forms |
|---|---|
| o - that yonder | onlar - those yonder |
| ona - to that | onlara - to those |
| onun - of that | onların - of those |
| onu - that (object) | onları - those (obj.) |
| onda - in/on/at that | onlarda - on those |
| ondan - from that | onlardan - from those |
| onunla - with that | onlarla - with those |
(1) şu - signifies something near by OR something between the speakers.
It also means - that which follows - eg. şu tavsiye - the following recommendation.
Care must be taken using - şu - and its extensions as it is also used in a derogatory sense (according to context) - see below.
Şu adama bakın! - Look at that bloke!
Şunu istemedim - I didn't want that! - (damn thing)
Şu herif kim? - Who the hell is that fellow? - (herif - "fellow, guy, bloke")
(2) O - signifies items far away or which does not lie between the speakers.
O - is often used for descriptions of happenings in foreign countries and cities.
When adding any suffixes including the plural suffix -lar buffer letter -n- is always used with the Demonstratives - thus forming -nlar as the Plural Suffix.
These extended suffixed forms show the use of the buffer -n- which is always used with the demonstrative.
This is used with the Demonstrative Pronoun to produce - bunca - all this, bunlarca - all these, onca - all that, onlarca - all those. Although - şunca - or - şunlarca - are not normally in use - however - it is sometimes used disparagingly. However, in Turkish it could be used to despise something in quantity or magnitude , or someone in muscular power. For instance, if someone has a small wound due to some reason and complaining too much about it then you could say - şunca/şuncacik, yaradan ölmezsin - You won't die from such a small wound (surely not..!.)
bunca and onca are plural and they take a singular object.
bunca kedi, onca kedi - all these/those cats - is similar to Bu kediler , o kediler. - theses cats, those cats.
These extended suffixed forms show the use of the buffer -n- which is always used with the demonstrative.
| The Singular Forms | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bunu | this (Obj.) | şunu | that nearby (Obj.) | onu | that yonder (Obj.) |
| buna | to this | şuna | to that nearby | ona | to that yonder |
| bundan | from this | şundan | from that nearby | ondan | from that yonder |
| bunda | in/on/at this | şunda | in/on/at that nearby | onda | in/on/at that yonder |
| bunca | all this | (şunca - Not used) | (Lacking) | onca | all that yonder |
| The Plural Forms | |||||
| bunları | these (Obj.) | şunları | those (nearby) (Obj.) | onları | those (yonder) (Obj.) |
| bunlara | to these | şunlara | to those (nearby) | onlara | to those (yonder) |
| bunlardan | from these | şunlardan | from those (nearby) | onlardan | from those (yonder) |
| bunlarda | in/on/at these | şunlarda | in/on/at those | onlarda | in/on/at those |
| bunlarca | all these | (şunlarca - Not used) | (Lacking) | onlarca | all those (yonder) |
bu ne? - what's this?
Bu bir büyük kedi - This is a big cat.
Bunca kedi uzun kuyruklu(dur). - All these cats are long tailed
Bütün bu kediler uzun kuyrukludur. - All these cats are long tailed
şu ne? - what is that (just there)?
şu bir gazete - that is a newspaper
Onca gazete dünkünün. - All those newspapers are yesterday's.
Bütün o gazeteler dünkünün.. - All those newspapers are yesterday's.
o ne? - what is that over there?
o bir dergi - that is a magazine
Bunlarca dergi - All these are magazines.
bunlar ne? - what are these?
bunlar yeşil elma. - these (ones) are green apples.
şunlar ne? - what are those?
şunlar beyaz evler. - those are white houses.
onlar kim? - who are those (people) over there?
onlar genç kızlar. - those (people) are young girls.
Onlarca kızlar genç. - All those girls are young.
buna bakar mısınız? - would you look after this? - [-a bakmak = to look after, take temporary care of..]
bunlara bakar mısınız? - would you look after these?
ona bakar mısınız? - would you look after that?
onlara bakar mısınız? - would you look after those?
The are further derivations of - bu, şu, o - which have produced the words - böyle, şöyle, öyle - the meanings are a follows:
böyle - In this way/thus
şöyle - like this/ that
öyle - such as that/like that
The -ce suffix can also be added to form adverbs:
böylece - In this way/thus
öylece - such as that/like that
Böyle bir iş yapmayın! - Don't do anything like that!
Böylece onu yapın! - Do it this way..
şöyle böyle - like this, like that - (as French - comme ci comme ça)
This can be given as an answer when asked - How are you? - [ie. I'm up and down, I'm getting on OK etc..]
öyle bir yağış yağdı ki.. - There was such a downpour that..
The "Formula Speak" - Öyle mi? - is also used a lot when listening with apparent disbelief to some one describing events. It means something like - Well I never, Go on then, Really?? - This formula is used a lot in normal daily conversation.