Nominative (Yalın)

The nominative case (yalın hal) is the basic, dictionary form of a noun. It has no case suffix. A noun in the nominative can still carry a plural or possessive suffix: kedi, kediler (cats), kedim (my cat) and kedilerimiz (our cats) are all nominative. It answers the questions kim? (who?) and ne? (what?).

Uses of the Nominative

The Subject

The subject never takes a case ending. Plural subjects are also nominative:

• Öğretmen geldi. (The teacher came.)
• Çocuklar bahçede oynuyor. (The children are playing in the garden.)
• Annem çok güzel yemek yapar. (My mother cooks very well.)

The Indefinite Direct Object

When the object is general or non-specific, it stays in the nominative and stands directly before the verb. Compare it with the accusative, which marks a specific object:

• Ben elma yedim. (I ate an apple / I ate apples.) (nominative: any apple)
• Ben elmayı yedim. (I ate the apple.) (accusative: a specific apple)
• Akşamları gazete okurum. (I read the newspaper in the evenings.) (an activity, not a specific paper)

The Predicate Noun

In 'X is Y' sentences, Y is in the nominative and takes the personal ending of 'to be':

• Ali öğretmen. (Ali is a teacher.)
• Ben öğrenciyim. (I am a student.)

Negative and Question Forms

Case does not change in negative or question sentences:

• Kedi uyumuyor. (The cat isn't sleeping.)
• Bu bir masa değil. (This isn't a table.)
• Bu bir masa mı? (Is this a table?)
• Kim geldi? (Who came?) – Öğretmen geldi. (The teacher came.)

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Kediyi uyuyor. → ✓ Kedi uyuyor. The subject never takes -(y)I.
• ✗ Elma ben yedim. → ✓ Ben elma yedim. An unmarked object must stand right before the verb.
• ✗ Ben için → ✓ benim için (for me). Nouns take için in the nominative, but most personal pronouns take the genitive: benim, senin, onun, bizim, sizin için (but onlar için).