ishlariga

Ishlariga is a Turkic-language form that functions as a noun phrase meaning “to their works” or “to their business.” It appears in languages such as Turkish and Uzbek, where a base noun for work or affairs combines with possessive and directional suffixes to express “to/toward their …” The exact suffix order can vary between languages, but the general idea is a directional complement attached to a plural-possessive form.

In Turkish, the base noun is iş (work). The plural form is işler (works). A third-person plural possessive suffix, typically -leri, marks “their.” Adding the dative suffix -e yields ishlerine, effectively “to their works” or, in idiomatic use, “to their business.” A common example is işlerine bak, often translated as “mind your own business” or, more literally, “look at their work/business.” The construction is productive for forming expressions that point toward someone’s affairs or responsibilities.

In Uzbek, a comparable construction uses ishlar (works) with the plural possessive suffix -lari, followed by a direction or case suffix such as -ga, producing ishlariga. This Kay-style form likewise means “to their works” or “toward their tasks,” and it can appear in both literal and idiomatic contexts, depending on sentence structure and discourse.

Usage and nuance: ishlariga serves to indicate direction toward someone’s activities or affairs and can convey a focus on others’ matters or, in idiomatic Turkish, a suggestion to mind one’s own business. The exact nuance depends on the language, regional variety, and syntactic context, but the core meaning centers on movement toward or reference to someone’s works or affairs.

See also: Turkic languages, Turkish grammar, Uzbek grammar, noun phrase morphology.