what is it?
In Turkish, tane is a general-purpose counter word — sometimes called a classifier or enumerator — that appears between a numeral (or the question word kaç) and a discrete, non-human noun. It signals that individual, countable items are being referred to: üç tane elma (three apples), on tane tabak (ten plates). Its use is optional in most contexts — the numeral alone is grammatical — but tane adds precision and is very common in everyday speech.
when to use it
After a numeral, before a noun. Use tane when counting any discrete, non-human object: iki tane kalem (two pens), beş tane sandalye (five chairs).
With kaç for questions. Kaç tane? is the standard way to ask «how many?» about countable things.
With distributive numerals. tane combines naturally with distributive forms: ikişer tane elma (two apples each).
Optional with non-human nouns. Yedi tane iskemle and yedi iskemle are both correct. Omitting tane is more common in formal writing; keeping it is more common in speech.
Not used with human nouns. For people, use the numeral alone or add kişi: üç öğretmen or üç kişi, not üç tane öğretmen.
formation
The word order is fixed: numeral + tane + noun (singular). The noun never takes the plural suffix -lAr when a numeral is present. tane itself does not change form.
| numeral / question word | tane | noun (singular) | meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| bir | tane | elma | one apple |
| üç | tane | elma | three apples |
| on | tane | tabak | ten plates |
| kaç | tane | kitap | how many books? |
| ikişer | tane | elma | two apples each |
Case suffixes attach to the noun, not to tane: üç tane elmayı aldım (I took the three apples — accusative on elma).
examples in context
common pitfalls
Pluralising the counted noun. The suffix -lAr is redundant when a numeral is already present. Beş tane kitaplar is incorrect; the right form is beş tane kitap.
Using tane with human nouns. tane is reserved for non-human referents. Saying üç tane öğretmen sounds unnatural or dismissive. Use üç öğretmen or üç kişi instead.
Wrong word order. tane must follow the numeral, not precede it. Tane üç elma is ungrammatical. The only correct order is üç tane elma.
Three sentences, graded here. Nothing is saved and no account is needed.
Otobüs şoförü her yolcuya ikişer tane ___ verdi. (bilet)
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the word in parentheses.