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Lesson 160: Relative Clauses 3: -(y)En
The suffix -(y)En can be used for relativizing:
- The subject of the relativized verb (which you've already seen)
- The possessor of a genitive-possesive constituent
- The possessed of a genitive-possesive constituent
An example of a genitive-possesive constituent is Evin kapısı, where ev is the possessor and kapı is the possessed part of the constituent. You can see this because ev has a genetive case suffix, whereas kapı has a possessive case suffix.
In the table below, the possessor of a genitive-possesive constituent is relativized.
| Full sentence | Relativized version |
|---|---|
| Kamil'in annesi öldü. Kamil's mother died. |
Annesi ölen Kamil Kamil whose mother died |
| Evin kapısı kırıldı. The door of the house is broken. |
Kapısı kırılan ev The house whose door is broken |
As you can see above, when relativizing the possessor of a genitive-possesive phrase, you remove the genitive case suffix from the possessor and you move the possessor to the end of the clause. The posessed part of the genitive-possesive constituent doesn't change, and the verb is placed after it, receiving the relativizing suffix -(y)En.
In the table below, the possessed part of a genitive-possesive constituent is relativized.
| Full sentence | Relativized version |
|---|---|
| Can'ın ayağı çatladı. Can's foot is fractured. |
Can'ın çatlayan ayağı Can's fractured foot |
| Telefonunuzun kılıfı pahalıymış. Your phone's case is expensive (apparently). |
Telefonunuzun pahalı olan kılıfı Your phone's case which is expensive |
As you can see above, when relativizing the possessed part of a genitive-possesive phrase, you move the possessed part to the end of the clause, and the verb receives the relativizing suffix -(y)En.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Kamil, whose mother died | Annesi ölen Kamil |
| to be broken | kırılmak |
| The/a house whose door is broken | Kapısı kırılan ev |
| to fractureINTRANSITIVE | çatlamak |
| Can's fractured foot | Can'ın çatlayan ayağı |
| Can whose foot fractured | Ayağı çatlayan Can |
| sheath, case | kılıf |
| Your phone's expensive case | Telefonunuzun pahalı olan kılıfı |
| I don't like the literature teacher who gives homework. | Ödev veren edebiyat öğretmenini sevmem. |
| Furkan whose sister got married/is going to get married, called me. | Ablası evlenen Furkan beni aradı. |
| Furkan's sister who is going to get married is very rich (apparently). | Furkan'ın evlenen ablası çok zenginmiş. |