Locative (-de)

The locative case (bulunma hali) shows where something is or where an action happens. It usually translates as 'in', 'on' or 'at', and answers the questions nerede? (where?) and kimde? (with whom? / who has it?).

Forms: -DA

The locative follows 2-way vowel harmony and consonant hardening. It starts with a consonant, so no buffer letter is needed and the noun never softens.

Examples

• Evdeyim. (I am at home.)
• Kitap masada. (The book is on the table.)
• Okulda çok öğrenci var. (There are many students at school.)
• Çocuklar sokakta oynuyor. (The children are playing in the street.)
• Kitapta ilginç bilgiler var. (There is interesting information in the book.)
• İşteyim. (I am at work.)
• Ankara'da yaşıyorum. (I live in Ankara.) (apostrophe with proper nouns)

Other Uses

• Time: saat üçte (at three o'clock), 2010'da (in 2010), hafta sonunda (at the weekend)
• Possession ('have on you'): Bende kalem var. (I have a pen (on me).), Anahtar sende mi? (Do you have the key?)
• After a 3rd-person possessive, an n is added: evinde (in his/her house), odasında (in his/her room).

Negative and Question Forms

• Ali evde değil. (Ali isn't at home.)
• Ali evde mi? (Is Ali at home?)
• Neredesin? – Otobüsteyim. (Where are you? – I'm on the bus.)

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Evde gidiyorum. → ✓ Eve gidiyorum. Use the dative for movement 'to' a place; the locative is only for being 'in/at' it.
• ✗ kitapda, kitabda → ✓ kitapta (hardening after p; no softening before a consonant)
• Confusing the suffix with the separate word de/da (too, also): in Ben de evdeyim. (I'm at home too.) the word de is written apart, while the locative -de is attached to ev.
• ✗ evide → ✓ evinde (in his house) (buffer n after the 3rd-person possessive)