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Questions & Answers about Senin hobin ne?
What does senin mean and why is it placed before the noun?
Senin is the second-person singular possessive pronoun meaning your. In Turkish, when you use a separate possessive pronoun, it normally comes right before the noun it modifies. You then also attach a matching possessive suffix to the noun itself (see next question).
Why does hobi have an extra -n at the end (making hobin)?
The -n is the second-person singular possessive suffix. Turkish possession often requires both the standalone pronoun and the corresponding suffix on the noun. So you get
hobi (hobby) + -n (your) = hobin (“your hobby”).
Why isn’t there a verb like to be in Senin hobin ne?
In simple identity or definition sentences/questions in Turkish, the copula “to be” (olmak) is normally omitted in the present tense. So Senin hobin ne? literally reads “Your hobby what?” but translates naturally as “What is your hobby?”
Why is the question word ne used here instead of hangi?
Ne is the general “what” question word in Turkish. Hangi means “which” and implies choosing from a specific, known set of items. Since you’re simply asking what someone’s hobby is (no predefined list), ne is correct.
Can I drop senin and just say Hobin ne?
Yes. The possessive suffix -n on hobi already marks it as “your,” so you don’t strictly need the pronoun. Hobin ne? is perfectly natural and even more common in casual speech.
How would I ask “What is his/her hobby?” using the same structure?
Use the third-person singular forms. Either
- Onun hobisi ne? (with onun for “his/her”), or
- simply Hobisi ne? (dropping onun since -si on hobi already means “his/her”).
If I want to ask “What are your hobbies?” (expecting multiple answers), how would I change the question?
You’d pluralize hobi and use the plural form of “what,” which is neler. Then attach the same possessive suffix:
Senin hobilerin neler?
Here hobiler = hobbies, -in = your, and neler = what (plural).