Relative clauses are complex clauses that have a modifier function. In the following examples, the clauses between the brackets modify the nouns that come after them.

1. [Dün akşam izle-diğ-imiz] filmi beğendin mi?

2. ‘Did you like the film [that we watched last night]?’

3. [Babamı ara-yan] hanım kimmiş?

4. ‘Who is the lady [that called my father]?’

5. En sev-diğ-im dizi bu akşam saat dokuzda.

6. ‘The TV series [that I like the most] is at nine tonight.’

Note that the relative clauses precede the nouns that they modify, just like the adjectives. In that sense they contrast with the counterparts in English. Another difference between English and Turkish relative clauses is that Turkish does not have a complementizer such as ‘that, what, who, where’ in its relative clauses. Rather, relative clauses are formed with -DIK, -(y)AcAK, and -(y)An that are attached to the verbs of the clauses. -DIK and -(y)AcAK are followed by a possessive marker that marks the subject of the relative clause. No possessive markers are used after -(y)An.

1. izle-diğ-imiz film

2. watch-DIK-possessive-1plural

3. ‘film that we watch(ed)’

4. Türkçe konuş-an adam

5. Turkish speak-(y)An man

6. ‘Turkish-speaking man’