Ünlü Düşmesi (Vowel Elision) is a phonetic rule in Turkish designed to make pronunciation smoother. It typically occurs when a two-syllable word ending in a narrow vowel (ı, i, u, ü) receives a suffix that starts with another vowel. In such cases, the narrow vowel in the original word is "dropped."
💡 The Core Rule:
When a suffix starting with a vowel is added to a word with a narrow vowel in its last syllable, the word’s internal vowel disappears.
Anatomical Terms (Body Parts)
Most body parts follow this rule when you add a possessive suffix:
Original Word | With Suffix (My...) | Translation |
Ağız | Ağzım | My mouth |
Burun | Burnum | My nose |
Beyin | Beynim | My brain |
Omuz | Omzum | My shoulder |
Karın | Karnım | My stomach |
Boyun | Boynum | My neck |
Borrowed Words (Arabic Origins)
Many loanwords, especially from Arabic, undergo vowel dropping when they take a vowel-starting suffix:
Original Word | With Suffix | Translation |
Akıl | Aklı | His/Her mind |
Fikir | Fikri | His/Her idea |
Resim | Resmi | The picture (obj.) |
İsim | İsmi | His/Her name |
Sabır | Sabrı | His/Her patience |
Vakit | Vakti | His/Her time |
Compound Words
When two words merge to form a new one, one of the overlapping vowels is usually dropped for phonetic ease:
Kahve + Altı → Kahvaltı (Breakfast)
Pazar + Ertesi → Pazartesi (Monday)
Ne + İçin → Niçin (Why)
Ne + Asıl → Nasıl (How)
Suffix Mergers
When a suffix starting with a vowel meets a word ending in a vowel, one is omitted:
Anne + im → Annem (My mother)
İki + inci → İkinci (Second)
Although this rule might seem intuitive, it is a fundamental pillar of Turkish phonetics. Mastering it will help you speak more fluently and sound like a native.