The subject relative participle (-(y)An)
In English, we use words like "who," "which," or "that" to describe a noun with an action (e.g., "the agent who knows"). In Turkish, there are no separate relative pronouns. Instead, we use a special suffix attached directly to the verb to turn it into an adjective.
To describe a noun that performs an action (the subject), add -an or -en to the verb stem, following 2-way vowel harmony. If the verb stem ends in a vowel, buffer it with a y.
| Verb Stem | Suffix | Participle | Meaning |
|---|
| al | -an | alan | that gets / takes |
| bil | -en | bilen | who knows |
| bekle | -yen | bekleyen | who waits |
| iste | -yen | isteyen | who wants |
Because this newly formed word acts as an adjective, it goes directly in front of the noun it modifies.
Describing properties and directions
When hunting for a rental apartment, participles are exactly what you need to state your requirements. Verbs like bakmak (to look / face) and almak (to take / receive) are very common in real estate listings.
Using "olan" for "that is" or "that has"
To say "who is" or "that is," use the participle form of olmak (to be): olan.
You can also combine olan with possessive endings to express "that has." For example, büyük bahçesi olan site literally translates to "the complex its big garden which is," which is how you say "a complex that has a big garden."
Contracts and fees
You can apply the same logic to more complex requirements, such as finding an apartment whose maintenance fee (aidat) includes (içeren) your utilities, or describing the type of guarantor (kefil) you have for a contract.