In English, to avoid repeating a noun, we often use words like "one" or "ones" (as in "I want the big ones"). In Turkish, there is no direct translation for "ones." Instead, you simply drop the noun and attach its suffixes—such as plurals or case markers—directly to the adjective.
Adding Plural Suffixes
To say "the small ones" or "the salty ones," just add the plural suffix (-lar or -ler) to the adjective. By taking on the noun's suffix, the adjective functions completely as a noun:
| The big walnuts are gone, but there are small ones. | Büyük cevizler bitti ama küçükler var. |
| The salty walnuts are expensive, the unsalted ones are very cheap. | Tuzlu cevizler pahalı, tuzsuzlar çok ucuz. |
Adding the Accusative Case
If your adjective-turned-noun is the specific direct object of a sentence (for example, if you are buying, eating, or choosing specific items), it must take the accusative case suffix (-ı, -i, -u, or -ü). This suffix is attached right after the plural marker:
| Give me the unsalted ones, not the salty hazelnuts, please. | Bana tuzlu fındıkları değil, tuzsuzları verin lütfen. |
| Before buying the walnuts, separate the rotten ones. | Cevizleri almadan önce çürükleri ayır. |
| I am buying fresh apricots and figs, but I do not want the rotten ones. | Taze kayısı ve incir alıyorum ama çürükleri istemiyorum. |
Other Case Markers
Because these adjectives act exactly like regular nouns, they can take any case suffix the sentence requires. For instance, you can add the ablative suffix (-dan / -den) to express taking "from the" or "some of the" items:
| I asked for almonds and hazelnuts; the seller gave me some of the mixed ones. | Badem ve fındık istedim, satıcı karışıklardan verdi. |
