gibi

Gibi is a Turkish word that functions as a postposition meaning "like," "as," or "such as." It is used to express similarity or to form similes, connecting what is being described with another noun, pronoun, adjective, or clause.

Etymology and usage context: The form is widely used in Turkish literature and everyday speech and is believed to be borrowed from Persian. In grammar, gibi attaches to the element it is comparing, and it can introduce a noun phrase, an pronoun, or a clause that expresses likeness. It is versatile and appears in statements about appearance, behavior, or manner, as well as in hypothetical or comparative constructions.

Examples and typical constructions: With nouns, gibi can create comparisons such as “ev gibi odalar” (rooms like a house) or “senin gibi biri” (someone like you). With verbs or adjectives, it can express resemblance in action or appearance: “O köpek gibi koşuyor” (He runs like a dog) or “Güzel gibi görünüyor” (It looks beautiful). It can also appear in clauses to convey “as if” or “as though,” for example, “Bir şey yapar gibi konuşuyor” (He is speaking as if he will do something).

Notes: Gibi is a common and essential part of Turkish syntax for describing similarity and manner. While it primarily serves comparatives, its usage spans direct comparisons, stylistic descriptions, and figurative expressions. It does not function as a conjunction or a pronoun by itself, but rather as a postpositional element that governs the phrase it follows.