The 6 Cases Overview

English uses prepositions (in the house, from the house, to the house) to show the role a noun plays. Kyrgyz also has 6 cases (жөндөмө), but they work through suffixes that attach to the end of the word — with no prepositions at all.

The key difference: in Kyrgyz there are no prepositions — one suffix does all the work!

🧮 All 6 Cases at a Glance

Nominative Case (Атооч жөндөмө)

Question: Ким? Эмне? (Who? What?)

This is the dictionary form — the word without any suffixes. Used for the subject of a sentence.

• Үй чоң. — The house is big.
• Бала ойноп жатат. — The child is playing.

👉 More about the nominative case

Genitive Case (Илик жөндөмө)

Question: Кимдин? Эмненин? (Whose? Of what?)

Shows possession. Always used together with possessive suffixes on the second word.

Suffixes: -нын-дын-тын / -нин-дин-тин / -нун-дун-тун / -нүн-дүн-түн

• Үйдүн эшиги — The door of the house
• Атанын унаасы — Father's car

👉 More about the genitive case

Dative Case (Барыш жөндөмө)

Question: Кимге? Эмнеге? Кайда? (To whom? Where to?)

Shows direction of movement or the recipient of an action.

Suffixes: -га-ка / -ге-ке / -го-ко / -гө-кө

• Мен үйгө барам — I'm going home
• Апага айт — Tell mum

👉 More about the dative case

Accusative Case (Табыш жөндөмө)

Question: Кимди? Эмнени? (Whom? What?)

Shows the direct object of an action — what the action is directed at.

Suffixes: -ны-ды-ты / -ни-ди-ти / -ну-ду-ту / -нү-дү-тү

• Мен үйдү көрдүм — I saw the house
• Китепти окудум — I read the book

👉 More about the accusative case

Locative Case (Жатыш жөндөмө)

Question: Кайда? Кимде? (Where? At whose?)

Shows location or being at someone's place.

Suffixes: -да-та / -де-те / -до-то / -дө-тө

• Мен үйдөмүн — I'm at home
• Менде акча бар — I have money (lit. "at me")

👉 More about the locative case

Ablative Case (Чыгыш жөндөмө)

Question: Кайдан? Кимден? (From where? From whom?)

Shows the starting point of movement or the source of something.

Suffixes: -дан-тан / -ден-тен / -дон-тон / -дөн-төн

• Мен үйдөн чыктым — I came out of the house
• Атадан кат алдым — Received a letter from father

👉 More about the ablative case

💡 Full Declension Example: ҮЙ (house)

💡 Full Declension Example: МЕКТЕП (school)

⚠️ Important Details

1. Order of Suffixes

If a word is in the plural and/or has a possessive suffix, the case suffix goes last:

Root + Plural + Possessive + Case

• Дос → Достор → Досторум → Досторумда (At my friends')

2. Locative Case + Personal Endings

When expressing location, the locative case often combines with personal endings:

• Мен үйдөмүн — I am at home
• Сен мектептесиң — You are at school

3. Cases and Postpositions

Some postpositions require a specific case:

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See also:

• Nominative Case (Атооч) — Who? What?
• Genitive Case (Илик) — Whose?
• Dative Case (Барыш) — Where to? To whom?
• Accusative Case (Табыш) — Whom? What?
• Locative Case (Жатыш) — Where?
• Ablative Case (Чыгыш) — From where?
• Vowel Harmony — vowel harmony
• Sound Assimilation — choosing Н/Д/Т
• Postpositions — words that require specific cases
• To Be: жак мүчөлөр — personal endings