Sağlık names health as an abstract idea. At this level, follow the word through discussions, articles and personal accounts: who does the health belong to, and what role does the noun play in the sentence?
The idea
The final k becomes ğ before a vowel-initial ending: sağlığa, sağlığı, sağlığım. It stays in sağlıkta, sağlıktan and sağlıklar. Possession comes before a further case ending: onun sağlığı becomes onun sağlığını as a definite object. The form sağlığı alone may be accusative or third-person possessive; the surrounding words decide.
| Use | Form |
|---|---|
| Base: health | sağlık |
| Accusative: definite object | sağlığı |
| Dative | sağlığa |
| Locative: e.g. in healthcare | sağlıkta |
| Ablative | sağlıktan |
| Genitive: of health | sağlığın |
| With health | sağlıkla |
| Plural: uncommon in the general sense | sağlıklar |
| My health | sağlığım |
| Your health (singular) | sağlığın |
| His/her health | sağlığı |
| Our health | sağlığımız |
| Your health (plural/polite) | sağlığınız |
| Their health | onların sağlıkları |
| His/her health as a definite object | onun sağlığını |
Examples
- Bu dergide sağlığa geniş yer ayrılıyor.This magazine devotes ample space to health.
- Konuşmacı bugün sağlıktan söz etti.The speaker talked about health today.
- Benim sağlığım bu yıl daha iyi.My health is better this year.
- Sağlık, bu romanın ana konularından biri.Health is one of the main themes of this novel.
- Çocukların sağlıkları hakkında konuşmadık.We did not talk about the children’s health.
- Onun sağlığını merak ediyorum.I wonder how his/her health is.
- Sağlıkta iletişim üzerine bir kitap okuyorum.I am reading a book about communication in healthcare.
- Bu öykü sağlığın değerini anlatıyor.This story tells of the value of health.
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Watch out
Do not turn health into a countable object whenever several people are involved. General health normally stays singular: sağlık. The plural sağlıklar exists but is uncommon in this general sense. Çocukların sağlıkları refers to the children’s health individually; çocukların sağlığı is also possible.
Try it yourself
Complete: This magazine devotes ample space to health.
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sağlığa
sağlığa: yer vermek takes the dative for the topic given space. The ending begins with a vowel, so the final consonant changes; this is not a location.
Complete: The speaker talked about health.
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sağlıktan
sağlıktan: söz etmek introduces its topic with the ablative. The ending starts with t after k, and that k remains because no vowel immediately follows it.
Complete: My health is better this month.
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sağlığım
sağlığım: benim identifies the speaker, so the noun needs first-person singular possession. This form is the subject of the statement, not an accusative object.
Complete: We want to protect his/her health.
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sağlığını
sağlığını: onun identifies a third-person possessor. Start with sağlığı, insert n and add accusative -ı because this health is what we want to protect.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete: This magazine devotes ample space to health.
Complete: The speaker talked about health.
Complete: My health is better this month.
Complete: We want to protect his/her health.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write a short summary of an imaginary discussion about health. Use sağlığa yer vermek, sağlıktan söz etmek and one possessive form. Explain whose health is meant and why each case ending is needed.