birisi

Birisi is a Turkish indefinite pronoun that means someone or somebody. It is used to refer to an unspecified person and is common in everyday speech as well as in written Turkish, serving as a generic reference when the speaker does not name the person involved.

The word is formed from the numeral bir meaning one, combined with the possessive suffix -si, which in Turkish is used to form certain personal or referential expressions. Birisi can function as the subject or the object of a verb, depending on the sentence structure. Examples include “Birisi kapıyı çaldı” (Someone knocked at the door) and “Birisi bana baktı” (Someone looked at me). The form is generally neutral and can carry a sense of anonymity or general occurrence rather than pointing to a specific individual.

In plural usage, the corresponding form birileri refers to several unspecified people, as in “Birileri bu konuyu tartışıyor” (Some people are discussing this topic). Birisi is often preferred in informal contexts, while more explicit alternatives like “kimse” (no one) or “herhangi biri” (anyone) are used to convey negation or a broader sense of selection.

Birisi plays a practical role in Turkish discourse by enabling vague or hypothetical references without naming a person. It contrasts with specific proper nouns or definite descriptions and is commonly taught as part of basic Turkish pronoun usage. See also birileri, kimse, herhangi biri for related indefinite pronouns.