When we talk about more than one person or thing, we use the pronoun onlar. It means "they" in English. For example, if you see a group of friends, you can say Onlar gəlirlər, which means "They are coming."
It's a straightforward pronoun for referring to multiple subjects. You'll use it often when describing actions performed by groups of people or when referring to several items. Just like in English, it helps us avoid repeating the names of everyone or everything involved.
§ Mistakes people make with "onlar"
"Onlar" is a straightforward word for "they" in Azerbaijani, but there are a couple of common pitfalls English speakers fall into. Let's look at these so you can avoid them.
- Mistake 1: Forgetting subject-verb agreement (or lack thereof)
- In English, if you say "they," the verb changes (e.g., "they run"). In Azerbaijani, for third person plural subjects like "onlar," the verb often doesn't change its ending to explicitly show plurality when the subject "onlar" is present and clear. This can be confusing at first because it's different from English and many other European languages.
Consider these examples:
Onlar gəlir.
Hint: They are coming (literally: They comes).
Onlar oxuyur.
Hint: They are reading (literally: They reads).
However, if you want to emphasize the plurality of the action, or if the subject isn't explicitly stated, you *can* use the plural verb ending (-ırlar/-irlər/-urlar/-ürlər). Both are grammatically correct, but the former is more common in everyday speech when "onlar" is present.
Onlar gəlirlər.
Hint: They are coming (emphasizing plurality).
Gəlirlər.
Hint: They are coming (subject implied, plural ending necessary).
- Mistake 2: Overusing "onlar" when it's implied
- Similar to other Turkic languages, Azerbaijani is a "pro-drop" language. This means pronouns are often omitted when the context makes it clear who or what the subject is. English speakers, accustomed to always stating the subject, sometimes overuse "onlar" when it's not necessary.
If you've just talked about a group of people, you don't need to keep repeating "onlar." The verb ending can carry enough information.
Uşaqlar parkda idilər. İndi evə gedirlər.
Hint: The children were in the park. Now they are going home.
In the second sentence, "onlar" is omitted because it's clear we're still talking about "uşaqlar" (the children). Saying "Onlar indi evə gedirlər" isn't wrong, but it can sound a bit redundant. Focus on natural flow.
Le savais-tu ?
The suffix '-lar' or '-lər' is a common plural marker in Turkic languages, and 'o' is the singular third-person pronoun. So, 'o' + 'nlar' (a variant of the plural suffix) literally means 'he/she' + 'plural', forming 'they'.
Grammaire à connaître
Use 'onlar' as the subject of a sentence when referring to multiple people or things, similar to 'they' in English.
Onlar gəlirlər. (They are coming.)
When 'onlar' is followed by a verb, the verb ending usually reflects the third person plural suffix '-lər' or '-lar', agreeing with 'onlar'.
Onlar kitab oxuyurlar. (They are reading a book.)
'Onlar' can be omitted if the verb ending already makes it clear that the subject is third person plural, especially in more casual speech.
Gəlirlər. (They are coming. - 'Onlar' is implied)
When 'onlar' is used as a direct object, it takes the accusative suffix '-ları' or '-ləri' (depending on vowel harmony), becoming 'onları'.
Mən onları gördüm. (I saw them.)
To show possession with 'onlar', use the genitive form 'onların' (their), followed by a noun with the appropriate possessive suffix.
Onların evləri böyükdür. (Their house is big.)
Exemples par niveau
Onlar hardadır?
Where are they?
Onlar gəlirlər.
They are coming.
Onlar nə istəyirlər?
What do they want?
Onlar kitab oxuyurlar.
They are reading a book.
Onlar məktəbdədirlər.
They are at school.
Onlar dostdurlar.
They are friends.
Onlar su içirlər.
They are drinking water.
Onlar böyükdürlər.
They are big.
Onlar bu gün işə gəlməyiblər.
They haven't come to work today.
Kitablar masanın üzərindədir, onlar oxumaq üçün hazırdırlar.
The books are on the table; they are ready for reading.
Onlar dünən axşam kinoya getdilər.
They went to the cinema last night.
Uşaqlar parkda oynayırlar, onlar çox xoşbəxt görünürlər.
The children are playing in the park; they look very happy.
Onlar hər səhər qəhvə içirlər.
They drink coffee every morning.
Müəllimlər tələbələrə yeni dərsləri öyrədirlər, onlar çox səbirlidirlər.
The teachers are teaching new lessons to the students; they are very patient.
Onlar futbolu çox sevirlər.
They love football very much.
Bu şəhərin sakinləri çox mehribandırlar, onlar həmişə kömək etməyə hazırdırlar.
The residents of this city are very kind; they are always ready to help.
Onlar bu yaxınlarda yeni bir layihəyə başladılar.
They recently started a new project.
Kitabları oxuduqdan sonra onları rəfə qoydular.
After reading the books, they put them on the shelf.
Onlar hər bazar günü parkda gəzintiyə çıxırlar.
They go for a walk in the park every Sunday.
Uşaqlar məktəbdən qayıtdıqda, onlar tez bir zamanda yemək yedilər.
When the children returned from school, they ate quickly.
Onlar şəhərin mərkəzində yeni bir mağaza açmağı planlaşdırırlar.
They are planning to open a new store in the city center.
Keçən il onlar dünyanın müxtəlif ölkələrinə səyahət etdilər.
Last year, they traveled to different countries around the world.
Onlar bütün çətinliklərə baxmayaraq məqsədlərinə çatdılar.
Despite all the difficulties, they achieved their goals.
Onlar hər axşam valideynlərinə zəng edib, onlarla danışırlar.
They call their parents every evening and talk to them.
Modèles grammaticaux
Structures de phrases
Onlar + verb
Onlar gəlirlər. (They are coming.)
Onlar + noun (plural) + -dılar/-dilər (past tense of 'to be')
Onlar tələbə idilər. (They were students.)
Onlar + adjective
Onlar yaxşıdırlar. (They are good.)
Onlar + preposition + noun
Onlar evdədir. (They are at home.)
Onlar + possessive pronoun + noun
Onlar onların dostlarıdır. (They are their friends.)
Onlar + object + verb
Onlar kitabı oxuyurlar. (They are reading the book.)
Onlar + question word + verb?
Onlar haradadırlar? (Where are they?)
Onlar + negation + verb
Onlar gəlmirlər. (They are not coming.)
Astuces
Basic use of 'onlar'
The most straightforward use of onlar is to refer to a group of people or things. For example, Onlar gəlirlər (They are coming).
No gender distinction
Unlike English, onlar in Azerbaijani does not distinguish between male and female. It can refer to a group of men, women, or a mix of both. So, onlar can mean they (male), they (female), or they (mixed).
Verb agreement with 'onlar'
When onlar is the subject of a verb, the verb usually takes the third person plural ending, which is typically -lər/-lar. For example, Onlar oxuyurlar (They are reading).
Optional use of 'onlar'
In Azerbaijani, the subject pronoun onlar is often omitted if the verb ending already makes it clear who the subject is. For example, instead of Onlar gəlirlər, you can just say Gəlirlər (They are coming).
Don't confuse with 'o'
Onlar means they (plural). Do not confuse it with o, which means he/she/it (singular).
Politeness and 'onlar'
While onlar is generally used for 'they,' there are no specific polite forms similar to how singular 'you' might change to plural 'you' in some languages for respect. Respect is conveyed through other linguistic structures or titles, not by substituting onlar.
Possessive form of 'onlar'
To say 'their,' you would use onların. For example, Onların evi (Their house). The -ın is the genitive case ending.
Object form of 'onlar'
To say 'them' (as a direct object), you would use onları. For example, Mən onları gördüm (I saw them). The -ı is the accusative case ending.
Using 'onlar' with postpositions
When using onlar with postpositions (words that function like prepositions in English but come after the noun), onlar will often be in the genitive case (onların). For example, onların yanında (next to them).
Practice with simple sentences
Start by forming simple sentences using onlar. For instance, Onlar dostdurlar (They are friends), Onlar gedirlər (They are going).
Origine du mot
Old Turkic
Sens originel : third person plural pronoun
TurkicContexte culturel
In Azerbaijani, like many Turkic languages, the third person plural pronoun 'onlar' is straightforward. There isn't a complex system of formal/informal 'they' like in some European languages. It's simply used for groups of people or objects. Understanding 'onlar' is fundamental to forming basic sentences and comprehending plural subjects.
Teste-toi 60 questions
___ futbol oynayırlar. (They play football.)
'Onlar' means 'they', which fits the context of the sentence.
Müəllimlər sinifdədir. ___ dərsləri izah edirlər. (The teachers are in the classroom. They are explaining the lessons.)
'Onlar' refers to the plural 'müəllimlər' (teachers).
Uşaqlar parkdadır. ___ gülürlər. (The children are in the park. They are laughing.)
'Onlar' is the correct pronoun for the plural noun 'uşaqlar' (children).
Qonşular yeni evə köçürlər. ___ xoşbəxtdirlər. (The neighbors are moving to a new house. They are happy.)
To refer to the plural 'qonşular' (neighbors), 'onlar' is used.
Mühəndislər layihə üzərində işləyirlər. ___ çox bacarıqlıdırlar. (The engineers are working on the project. They are very skilled.)
'Onlar' is the appropriate pronoun for the plural subject 'mühəndislər' (engineers).
Tələbələr imtahana hazırlaşırlar. ___ çox çalışqandırlar. (The students are preparing for the exam. They are very hardworking.)
'Onlar' refers to the plural 'tələbələr' (students).
Choose the correct translation for 'They are students.'
'Onlar' means 'they', and 'tələbədirlər' means 'are students'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'onlar'?
'Onlar' is the correct pronoun for 'they', and 'oxuyur' is the third person plural form of the verb 'to read'.
Complete the sentence: '___ Bakıda yaşayırlar.' (They live in Baku.)
The verb 'yaşayırlar' (they live) indicates a plural subject, so 'onlar' (they) is the correct choice.
The sentence 'Onlar dostdur.' means 'They are friends.'
'Onlar' means 'they', and 'dostdur' means 'is a friend'. In Azerbaijani, the plural form of 'to be' is often implied or can be expressed with a plural noun.
You can use 'onlar' to refer to a single person respectfully.
'Onlar' specifically means 'they' (plural). For a single person, even respectfully, you would use 'o' (he/she/it).
The sentence 'Onlar işləyir.' means 'They are working.'
'Onlar' means 'they', and 'işləyir' is the third person singular/plural form of 'to work' in the present continuous tense.
This sentence means 'They are reading a book.' 'Onlar' is 'They', 'kitab' is 'book', and 'oxuyurlar' is 'are reading'.
This sentence means 'They are going to school.' 'Onlar' is 'They', 'məktəbə' is 'to school', and 'gedirlər' is 'are going'.
This sentence means 'They are learning the Azerbaijani language.' 'Onlar' is 'They', 'Azərbaycan dilini' is 'the Azerbaijani language', and 'öyrənirlər' is 'are learning'.
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) about a group of friends visiting a new city. Use 'onlar' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Mənim dostlarım bu həftəsonu Bakıya getdilər. Onlar şəhəri gəzdilər və çoxlu maraqlı yerlər gördülər. Onlar yeni mətbəxi dadıblar və şəkillər çəkiblər. Axşam onlar evə qayıtdılar.
Describe a common activity that a group of people do together, using 'onlar' to refer to the group.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Hər həftəsonu qonşularım parkda futbol oynayırlar. Onlar çox vaxt səhər tezdən yığışırlar. Onlar həm də sonra birlikdə çay içirlər. Bu, onlar üçün yaxşı bir adətdir.
Imagine you are talking about two people you know. Write 2-3 sentences about what they did yesterday, using 'onlar'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Dünən Elvin və Leyla işə getmədilər. Onlar evdə qalıb film izlədilər. Axşam onlar restoranda nahar etdilər.
Valideynlər yayda nə edirlər?
Read this passage:
Mənim valideynlərim kənddə yaşayırlar. Onlar hər il yayda bağda işləyirlər. Onlar tərəvəz və meyvə əkirlər. Həftəsonları biz onları ziyarət edirik.
Valideynlər yayda nə edirlər?
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar hər il yayda bağda işləyirlər.'
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar hər il yayda bağda işləyirlər.'
Tələbələr nə etmək istəyirlər?
Read this passage:
Tələbələr imtahanlara hazırlaşırlar. Onlar kitabxananı ziyarət edir, dərsləri təkrar edir və bir-birlərinə kömək edirlər. Onlar uğurlu olmaq istəyirlər.
Tələbələr nə etmək istəyirlər?
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar uğurlu olmaq istəyirlər.'
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar uğurlu olmaq istəyirlər.'
Turistlər Bakıda nələrə heyran qaldılar?
Read this passage:
Turistlər Bakıya gəldilər. Onlar İçərişəhəri, Alov Qüllələrini və Dənizkənarı Bulvarı ziyarət etdilər. Onlar şəhərin gözəlliyinə heyran qaldılar.
Turistlər Bakıda nələrə heyran qaldılar?
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar şəhərin gözəlliyinə heyran qaldılar.'
Mətndə deyilir ki, 'Onlar şəhərin gözəlliyinə heyran qaldılar.'
Müəllimlər dərs keçirlər, ____ isə dinləyirlər.
The sentence requires a third-person plural pronoun to refer to 'students' (implied by 'dinləyirlər' - they listen), making 'onlar' the correct choice.
Uşaqlar parkda oynayırlar. ____ çox xoşbəxt görünürlər.
'Uşaqlar' is plural, so the pronoun referring to them must also be plural: 'onlar'.
Kitablar masanın üzərindədir. ____ çox maraqlıdır.
Here, 'kitablar' (books) is plural, so 'onlar' (they) is used to refer to them, even for inanimate objects in Azerbaijani.
Valideynlər iclasa gəldilər, çünki ____ uşaqlarının təhsili ilə maraqlanırlar.
'Valideynlər' (parents) is a plural noun, so 'onlar' (they) is the appropriate pronoun.
Qonşular yeni evə köçdülər. ____ indi şəhərin mərkəzində yaşayırlar.
Referring to 'qonşular' (neighbors), which is plural, requires the plural pronoun 'onlar'.
Tələbələr imtahan üçün hazırlaşırlar. ____ çox çalışqandırlar.
'Tələbələr' (students) is a plural noun, therefore 'onlar' (they) is the correct pronoun.
Choose the correct sentence: 'Onlar' with appropriate verb conjugation.
'Onlar' requires the third person plural verb ending '-lar/-lər'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'onlar' as a subject?
In this sentence, 'onlar' is the subject performing the action.
Complete the sentence: 'Tələbələr imtahana hazırlaşırlar. ___ çox çalışqandırlar.'
The context refers to 'tələbələr' (students), which is plural, so 'onlar' (they) is the correct pronoun.
'Onlar' can only refer to people.
'Onlar' can refer to both people and inanimate objects in plural.
The verb ending for 'onlar' in the present tense is always '-ırlar/-irlər/-urlar/-ürlər'.
This is the correct present continuous tense ending for the third person plural in Azerbaijani.
In Azerbaijani, it is always mandatory to explicitly use 'onlar' before a third person plural verb.
The verb ending often implies the subject, so 'onlar' can sometimes be omitted if the context is clear.
The correct order is Subject (Onlar) + Object (kitabı) + Verb (oxuyurlar).
The correct order is Subject (Onlar) + Adjective (yeni) + Noun (layihə) + Postposition (haqqında) + Verb (danışırlar).
The correct order is Subject (Onlar) + Adverb (həmişə) + Verb (gülürlər).
Which of the following sentences correctly uses 'onlar' in a complex sentence structure to refer to a group of individuals with distinct roles?
'Onlar' here effectively links the actions of the 'direktor və müəllimlər' to their shared responsibility regarding 'şagirdlərin gələcəyini müzakirə etməli idilər', showcasing its use in a nuanced, referential context.
In which sentence does 'onlar' maintain clarity in a highly ambiguous context, differentiating between two potential groups of people?
This sentence presents a situation where both 'şirkət işçiləri' and 'müştərilər' could potentially be 'onlar'. However, 'onlar razılaşmağa çalışırdılar' implies a shared objective or interaction between both groups, making 'onlar' inclusive of both, resolving the ambiguity in a C2-level sophisticated way.
Select the sentence where 'onlar' is used to refer to an abstract concept or an inanimate plural noun, adding a layer of figurative language.
Here, 'onlar' refers to 'fikir və ideyalar' (thoughts and ideas), which are abstract concepts. This usage is figurative and demonstrates a higher level of linguistic flexibility.
In the sentence 'Mütəxəssislər mübahisə edirdilər, lakin onlar ortaq məxrəcə gələ bilmədilər,' 'onlar' unequivocally refers to 'mütəxəssislər' despite a preceding complex clause, demonstrating clear pronoun antecedent resolution.
Even with the complex clause, 'onlar' clearly refers back to 'mütəxəssislər', as they are the only plural human agents capable of 'mübahisə etmək' and 'ortaq məxrəcə gəlmək'.
The sentence 'Kitablar və sənədlər masanın üzərində idi; onlar diqqətlə sıralanmışdı' accurately uses 'onlar' to refer to inanimate objects, implying a personified action (being 'diqqətlə sıralanmışdı') which elevates the sentence to a C2 stylistic choice.
The use of 'onlar' for inanimate objects ('kitablar və sənədlər') is correct, and the implication of a deliberate action ('diqqətlə sıralanmışdı' - carefully arranged) adds a nuanced, personified touch, common in C2 level expression.
In the sentence 'Uşaqlar parkda oynayırdılar, çünki valideynləri icazə vermişdilər. Onlar çox xoşbəxt görünürdülər,' 'onlar' ambiguously refers to both the children and the parents, requiring further context for clarification at a C2 level.
'Onlar' clearly refers to 'uşaqlar' (children) because 'çox xoşbəxt görünürdülər' directly follows their action of playing in the park, making the antecedent unambiguous.
Focus on understanding the phrase 'gecə-gündüz çalışdılar'.
Listen for how 'layiqincə təmsil etdilər' is pronounced and what it means.
Pay attention to the full meaning of the sentence, especially 'çətinliklərə baxmayaraq'.
Read this aloud:
Onlar qlobal istiləşmənin fəsadları ilə mübarizə aparmaq üçün yeni strategiyalar hazırlayırlar.
Focus: fəsadları, mübarizə, strategiyalar
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
Onlar mədəni irsimizi qorumaq və gələcək nəsillərə ötürmək üçün əhəmiyyətli işlər görürlər.
Focus: mədəni irsimizi, qorumaq, ötürmək, əhəmiyyətli
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
Onlar cəmiyyətdə sosial bərabərliyin təmin edilməsi naminə fədakarlıqla çalışırlar.
Focus: cəmiyyətdə, bərabərliyin, təmin edilməsi, fədakarlıqla
Tu as dit :
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This sentence means 'They are very hardworking and always achieve success.' The word order follows the typical Azerbaijani sentence structure with the subject first, followed by adverbs, adjectives, and then the verb.
This sentence translates to 'If they cannot solve this problem, big problems will arise.' The conditional clause 'Əgər onlar bu məsələni həll edə bilməsələr' comes first, followed by the main clause describing the consequence.
This sentence means 'They had been warned in advance about complying with all conditions.' The structure places the subject 'Onlar' at the beginning, followed by the object and then the passive verb phrase.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Basic use of 'onlar'
The most straightforward use of onlar is to refer to a group of people or things. For example, Onlar gəlirlər (They are coming).
No gender distinction
Unlike English, onlar in Azerbaijani does not distinguish between male and female. It can refer to a group of men, women, or a mix of both. So, onlar can mean they (male), they (female), or they (mixed).
Verb agreement with 'onlar'
When onlar is the subject of a verb, the verb usually takes the third person plural ending, which is typically -lər/-lar. For example, Onlar oxuyurlar (They are reading).
Optional use of 'onlar'
In Azerbaijani, the subject pronoun onlar is often omitted if the verb ending already makes it clear who the subject is. For example, instead of Onlar gəlirlər, you can just say Gəlirlər (They are coming).
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