You will choose between bu, şu and o by asking where the thing is for the two people talking, and see when o means he or she.
The idea
Turkish splits the space between two speakers into three zones. Bu is near the speaker: Bu telefon benim. Şu points at what is by the listener or between you, and it also opens what you are about to say: Şu çanta senin mi? O is far from both, out of sight, or known to both: O okul çok uzak. Alone, o also means he, she or it.
| Where the thing is | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Near the speaker, or just said | bu | Bu telefon benim. |
| By the listener, pointed at between you, or about to be said | şu | Şu çanta senin mi? |
| Far from both, out of sight, or already known | o | O okul çok uzak. |
Examples
- Ben bu telefonu seviyorum.I like this phone.
- Şu çanta senin mi?Is that bag yours?The bag is on the listener's side, so the speaker points to it with şu. Bu would put it on the speaker's side.
- O okul bizim evden çok uzak.That school is very far from our house.
- Bu koltuk boş, şu koltuk dolu.This seat is free, that seat is taken.
- Ayşe benim komşum. O çok iyi biri.Ayşe is my neighbour. She is a very nice person.
- Şunu unutma: yarın sınav var.Don't forget this: there is an exam tomorrow.Here şu looks forward: it points at what comes after the colon. The form şunu is şu with the object ending, covered on the forms page.
- Ali işten ayrıldı. Bunu duydun mu?Ali has left his job. Have you heard about that?Here bu points back at the news that was just told. Onu would mean a person, him or her.
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Watch out
English has two words, this and that, so it is easy to send everything that is not here to o and forget şu, or to turn "that" into o when it points back at what was just said. For news you have just told, Turkish says bu: Ali işten ayrıldı. Bunu duydun mu? Onu would mean a person, him or her.
Try it yourself
Fill in the pointing word: Ayşe is my neighbour. She is a very nice person.
Show answer or example answer
O
O: Ayşe has already been named and is not standing next to you, so o means she; bu would present her as standing at your side.
Fill in the pointing word: the phone is in your hand. This phone is mine.
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Bu
Bu: the phone is in your hand, which is the speaker's side; şu would move it over to the listener's side.
Fill in the word: Ali has left his job. Have you heard about that? (the news you have just told)
Show answer or example answer
Bunu
Bunu: it points back at the news you have just told; bu takes an n before the ending -u, and onu would point at a person.
Fill in the pointing word: you point at the bag next to your friend. Is that bag yours?
Show answer or example answer
Şu / O
Şu: the bag is next to your listener, so you point across the space between you; o is also possible, but it sounds as if the bag were farther away.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Fill in the pointing word: Ayşe is my neighbour. She is a very nice person.
Fill in the pointing word: the phone is in your hand. This phone is mine.
Fill in the word: Ali has left his job. Have you heard about that? (the news you have just told)
Fill in the pointing word: you point at the bag next to your friend. Is that bag yours?
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Look around you and write four sentences: one about something in your hand, one about something next to a friend, one about something far away and one about a person you know. Use each of bu, şu and o at least once.