The suffix -lIk is a versatile tool for building vocabulary. Attach it to nouns and adjectives to create abstract concepts, containers, and purpose-specific items.
Because it follows 4-way vowel harmony, the suffix takes one of four forms depending on the last vowel of the root word:
| Last Vowel | Suffix | Example |
|---|
| a, ı | -lık | yaşlı → yaşlılık |
| e, i | -lik | genç → gençlik |
| o, u | -luk | çocuk → çocukluk |
| ö, ü | -lük | ön → önlük |
Abstract Concepts and Life Stages
When added to adjectives or nouns describing people, -lIk acts like the English suffixes "-ness" or "-hood", turning physical states into abstract life stages. For example, genç (young) becomes gençlik (youth).
Containers and Furniture
When added to a physical object, -lIk creates the name of the container or furniture designed specifically to hold it. A place for a kitap (book) is a kitaplık (bookcase), and a container for tuz (salt) is a tuzluk (salt shaker).
Grammar Note: Because these derived words end in -k, they undergo consonant mutation. When you add a case suffix starting with a vowel (like the dative or accusative), the k softens to ğ.
Abstract Traits and Purpose-Built Items
You will also use this suffix to turn descriptive adjectives into abstract traits. For instance, güzel (beautiful) becomes güzellik (beauty), and iyi (good) becomes iyilik (goodness or a favor).
Finally, -lIk can indicate an item made for a specific purpose or placement. For example, ön means "front", so an önlük is a garment worn on the front of the body: an apron.
