Turkish Cypriot Phonemic Inventory

Vowel Harmony: While Standard Turkish has strict vowel harmony rules, Turkish Cypriot dialect sometimes breaks these patterns, especially in borrowed words.

Stress Patterns: Unlike Standard Turkish where stress typically falls on the final syllable, Turkish Cypriot often shifts stress to earlier syllables in certain words.

Consonant Clusters: Turkish Cypriot allows more consonant clusters than Standard Turkish, particularly at word beginnings.

The most distinctive feature of Turkish Cypriot dialect is its consonant system:

• Ğ → Y or V: The soft g disappears or transforms (Soğan → Sovan, Değil → Deyil)
• T ↔ D, K ↔ G: Voice alternation in stops (Koyma → Goyma, Taş → Daş)
• B ↔ P, S ↔ Z: Further voice alternations (Patates → Badadez)
• N → Ñ: Velarization of nasals (Bin → Biñ, Son → Soñ)
• Final consonant devoicing: Sometimes reversed compared to Standard Turkish
• Consonant gemination: Double consonants pronounced distinctly
• Palatalization: Consonants before front vowels often palatalized

Beyond phonology, Turkish Cypriot dialect shows grammatical distinctions:

• Plural forms: "-iz" ending becomes "-ik" (İsteriz → İsterik)
• Reflexive pronouns: "Kendi" becomes "genni/geni/gendi"
• Question formation: Dropping "mi" and using intonation
• Future tense: Often using present tense for future actions
• Evidentiality: Different marking of indirect evidence

Standard: Ne yapıyorsun?

Cypriot: Napan?

(What are you doing?)

Standard: Okula gidecek misin?

Cypriot: GideceÑ okula?

(Will you go to school?)

Standard: Ben de sizinle geleceğim.

Cypriot: Benda gelecem siziÑan.

(I will also come with you.)

The "-de/da" Conjunction

In Cypriot Turkish, unlike Standard Turkish, "-de/da" conjunctions do not differ due to the word's last vowel and consonant.

Standard Turkish: Sen de oradaydın değil mi?

Cypriot: Sen da oradaydın değil?

You were also there, right?

Standard Turkish: Bankta oturuyor.

Cypriot: Bankda oturur.

(S)he is sitting on the bench.

The "-mezden / -mazdan" Structure

This construction combines the negative aorist tense (-maz/-mez) with the ablative case (-dan/-den). While mostly disappeared from Standard Turkish, it survives in Cypriot dialects, reflecting older forms of the language.

• Gitmezden önce = Before (he/she) goes
• Gelmezden gördüm = I saw before (he/she) arrived
• Söylemezden olmaz = It won't work without saying it

The "-mayasınız / -meyesiniz" Structure

This form expresses warnings, wishes, or advice when addressing a group. It's equivalent to "be careful not to..." in English.

• Basılmayasınız çocuklar! = Watch out kids, don't get crushed!
• Yanmayasınız! = Be careful, don't get burned!
• Düşmeyesiniz! = Make sure you don't fall!

The "ma..." Structure

Used for strengthening the sentence's meaning or emphasizing astonishment while asking a question.

• Ma siz portakalda vitaminken ben o işi çözdüydüm. = Ma when you are vitamin in an orange, I have solved that case.
• Ma sen zanneden ben bunlara kanarım? = Ma you think that I am fooled by these things?
• Ma gerçekden böyle oldu? = Ma did it really happen like that?

The "be..." Structure

Used for addressing someone close to the speaker in terms of sincerity.

• Be gardaş burada yanlış var = Be my friend, there's a mistake here
• Napan be oraşta? = What are you doing be (you) there?
• Be bay, akşam konuşalım mı? = Be bay (Mr.), can we talk this evening?

The "A..." Structure

More formal than "be", generally used by older people to younger people. May emphasize reproach in particular cases.

• A Fahri, demedim ben saña olaylara karışma? = A Fahri, didn't I tell you don't meddle with the incident?
• A oğlum, çıkılmaz oraya, tehlikelidir. = A my son, it shouldn't be climbed, it's dangerous.
• Onu uzatır mın a gızım. = Would you pass that a my daughter.