Language/Kazakh/Grammar/Nominative-Case

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Kazakh Grammar → Kazakh Cases → Nominative Case

As a Kazakh language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I can say with confidence that understanding the Kazakh cases is crucial for anyone who wants to master the language. In this lesson, we will focus on the nominative case, which is used to mark the subject of a sentence in Kazakh. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a good understanding of the nominative case and how to use it in simple sentences.

What is the Nominative Case?

The nominative case is the case used for the subject of a sentence. In other words, it is the form of a noun, pronoun, or adjective that is used when it is the subject of a verb. In English, the nominative case is often the same as the base form of the word, but in Kazakh, the nominative case has its own distinct endings.

In Kazakh, the nominative case is marked using the suffix "-дың" (-dyn) for words ending with a vowel and the suffix "-ның" (-nyn) for words ending with a consonant.

Here are some examples:

Kazakh	Pronunciation	English
кітап	ki'tap	book
кесте	kes'te	chair
қыз	qyz	girl

In the above examples, we see that the nominative case is marked using the suffixes "-дың" (-dyn) and "-ның" (-nyn) depending on the final consonant of the word.

How to Use the Nominative Case in Simple Sentences

Let's take a look at a few examples of how the nominative case is used in simple sentences:

Мен кітап оқып жатырамын. (Men kitap oqıp jatıramyn.) - I am reading a book.
Сен кестеге оралып отырасың. (Sen kestege oralyp otyrasyń.) - You are sitting on a chair.
Ол қызды көрді. (Ol qyzdy kordi.) - He saw a girl.

In each of these sentences, the subject is marked with the appropriate nominative case ending. Note that the verb agrees with the subject in person and number, as is typical in Kazakh sentences.

Exceptions to Nominative Case Endings

There are a few exceptions to the nominative case endings that you should be aware of. For example, words ending in a soft consonant (such as "ж" or "ш") take the ending "-ы" (-y) instead of "-ың" (-yn), and words ending in a hard consonant (such as "к" or "п") take the ending "-і" (-i) instead of "-ың" (-yn).

Let's look at a few examples:

Kazakh	Pronunciation	English
қазақ	qazaq	Kazakh
жақшы	jaqshy	journalist
бастырмалық	bastyrma'lyq	administrative

In each of these examples, the final consonant causes an exception in the nominative case ending.

Practice Exercise

Now, let's practice what you've learned by translating the following sentences into Kazakh using the appropriate nominative case ending for the subject:

1. The cat is sleeping. 2. My brother is a doctor. 3. We are eating apples. 4. You (plural) are studying Kazakh. 5. The book is interesting.

As you can see, the nominative case is an important aspect of Kazakh grammar. By mastering this case, you will be well on your way to becoming proficient in the language.

Sources

Table of Contents - Kazakh Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Kazakh Pronunciation

Greetings and Basic Expressions

Kazakh Cases

Food and Drink

Verbs

Traditions and Customs

Family and Relationships

Adjectives

Traveling and Directions

Pronouns

Shopping and Consumerism

Art and Literature

Adverbs

Health and Medical Emergencies

Sports and Recreation

Prepositions and Postpositions

Nature and Environment

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