Aileleri

Aileleri is a Turkish noun phrase that translates roughly as “their families.” It is formed from the noun aile (family) in its plural form aileler (families) plus the third-person plural possessive suffix -leri, yielding aileleri, which denotes possession by a third-person plural subject. In Turkish, possession is expressed through such suffixal constructions rather than separate possessive pronouns placed after the possessed noun.

Usage and function: Aileleri typically functions as a noun phrase meaning “their families” and can serve as the subject or the object in a sentence depending on context. The suffix agrees with the possessor (they), while the noun itself remains in the plural to denote multiple families. The phrase does not indicate a single family but multiple families associated with the possessor. The form can be clarified in context by adding pronouns or other determiners, if needed.

Examples: Onların aileleri İstanbul’da yaşıyor. Their families live in Istanbul. Aileleriyle birlikte tatile gitti. He/she went on vacation with their families.

Notes: Turkish also forms a genitive possessive with -lerinin when the phrase appears inside a larger noun phrase, as in “onların ailelerinin evi” (their families’ house). The standalone form aileleri can be ambiguous without context, so accompanying pronouns or clear sentence structure is usually used to indicate the possessor.