Turkish 48 - Compound nouns

We can use two nouns to construct a new noun by attaching the possession suffix (s)İ to the second noun:

handbagel çanta
backpacksırt çanta
cellphonecep telefonu
apple treeselma ağaçları
ankleayak bileği
wristel bileği
toeayak parmağı

If we use possession suffixes in combination with compound nouns, the suffix of the compound noun disappears:

my handbagel çantam
your backpacksırt çantan
my father's cellphonebabamın cep telefonu
our apple treeselma ağaçlarımız
Whose ankle?Kimin ayak bileği?

In the word babamın the possession suffix m, denoting that it is my father, is followed by the genitive suffix ın indicating that he in turn possesses the phone.

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