Characteristics and classification of the verbs connected by possessive suffixes in Turkish

This study examines and classifies Turkish verbs that take the nominalizing suffix "-mA" or the participial suffixes "-DIK / -AcAK," followed by possessive and case suffixes, to facilitate their acquisition by learners of Turkish as a foreign language. The research focuses on identifying the general characteristics of verbs used with these suffix combinations and utilizing their semantic properties to enhance language instruction. The introduction provides an overview of verb characteristics, including modality, tense, person, and aspect, and introduces the concept of non-finite verbs. The first section examines the functions of these suffixes when attached to non-finite verbs, drawing on examples from the Turkish National Corpus. The study analyzes the semantic distinctions between the nominalizing suffix "-mA" and the participial suffixes "-DIK / -AcAK" and proposes a functional classification of these forms based on these distinctions. The second section investigates the use of "-mA" and "-DIK / -AcAK" combined with possessive and case suffixes in teaching Turkish as a foreign language. It briefly outlines the Turkish language curriculum for foreign learners and analyzes the learning outcomes related to the target structures ("-mA+ possessive suffix + case suffix"and "-DIK / -AcAK + possessive suffix + case suffix") at the B1, B2, and C1 proficiency levels. The study then analyzes widely used textbooks for teaching Turkish as a foreign language, classifying examples based on their morphological structure and target proficiency level. The conclusion synthesizes the key characteristics of verbs that take the target suffix combinations and underscores the distinctions between the two structures. It then proposes a more systematic approach for teaching these forms to learners of Turkish as a foreign language. Keywords: Teaching Turkish as a foreign language, possessive suffixes, case suffixes, verbal structures, language education.