Singular (Tekil): Used for one person or object.
BU (Pronounced: Boo) — Meaning: This || For Near (within reach).
ŞU (Pronounced: Shoo) — Meaning: That || For Far (visible but further away).
O (Pronounced: Oh) — Meaning: That || For Very Far (distant or out of sight).
Plural (Çoğul): Used for two or more people or objects.
BUNLAR (Pronounced: Boon-lar) — Meaning: These || For Near.
ŞUNLAR (Pronounced: Shoon-lar) — Meaning: Those || For Far.
ONLAR (Pronounced: On-lar) — Meaning: Those || For Very Far.
Examples for Review:
Turkish | English Translation |
Bu ne? | What is this? |
O kim? | Who is that (over there)? |
Şu masa. | That is a table. |
Şu senin değil mi? | That is yours, isn't it? |
Bunlar öğrenciler. | These are students. |
Şunlar onun kitapları. | Those are his/her books. |
Onlar bizim değil. | Those are not ours. |
Tip for Learners: In English, we usually only have "this" and "that." It helps to remind students that Turkish uses Şu as a middle ground for things you are pointing at specifically, while O is often used for things further away or even for "he/she/it."