Agentive nouns and adjectives (-(y)ıcı)

The Agentive Suffix: -(y)ıcı

To turn verbs into nouns representing the "doer" of an action, or into descriptive adjectives, attach the suffix -(y)ıcı to the verb stem.

It follows 4-way vowel harmony (-ıcı, -ici, -ucu, -ücü) and uses the buffer y if the verb stem ends in a vowel.

Verb StemSuffixDerived NounMeaning
oku- (to read)-yucuokuyucureader
izle- (to watch)-yiciizleyiciviewer
yüz- (to swim)-ücüyüzücüswimmer
kur- (to found)-ucukurucufounder
I was a good reader in the past.
Eskiden iyi bir okuyucuydum.
The successful swimmer won a gold medal.
Başarılı yüzücü altın madalya kazandı.
The founder of the company is an old man.
Şirketin kurucusu yaşlı bir adam.

Forming Descriptive Adjectives

When attached to verbs describing an action or effect, -(y)ıcı creates an adjective meaning "having the quality of [verb]ing."

Verb StemSuffixDerived AdjectiveMeaning
öğret- (to teach)-iciöğreticiinstructive
uyar- (to warn)-ıcıuyarıcıstimulant / warning
bulaş- (to infect)-ıcıbulaşıcıcontagious
bağla- (to bind)-yıcıbağlayıcıbinding
This documentary was very instructive.
Bu belgesel çok öğreticiydi.
This is a very contagious virus, isn't it?
Bu çok bulaşıcı bir virüs, değil mi?
This contract was binding.
Bu sözleşme bağlayıcıydı.