Turkish | English | Examples, supplements, and explanations |
| A (~41 entries) | | |
abla
(10k bytes)
| older sister | - Ablam çok akıllı ve güzel. My older sister is very smart and beautiful.
- Often used as a respectful endearment when a younger person speaks to [or of] a slightly older woman. Vendors also use the term with female customers.
- Use it 'standing alone' or after a female person's name, as with:
Esengül abla, Older-sister Esengül
|
| acaba
(Only on CD)
| I wonder. | Often used to add politeness to a question, as in:
Postane nerede acaba? Could you please tell me where the post office is?
[Where is the post office, I wonder?]
(Only on CD)
|
Kara Murat saves the damsel...Every word and suffix in the following two cartoon panels may be found in
"The 700 Club"
of Essential Turkish...
First Panel:Acaba at-ı tut-abil-ecek miyim?I wonder if I can grab hold of the horse?
Second Panel:
Siz-i kurtar-acağım...
I'll save you...
Thanks to:
Gözcu/Asabi Gazetesi, Gerçek Yayıncılık A. S.
(Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ, Owner)
and Rahmi Turan, creator of 'Kara Murat, Swashbuckler'.
Ankara
1 September 2001 |
| acayip
(5k bytes)
| strange,
(or, in a reversal of meaning) really cool | Acayip bir şey!
That's very strange!
-or-
That's really cool!
(The situation dictates the meaning.)
(14k bytes) |
| acı
(Only on CD)
| pain | Acı acıya, soğuk su sancıya iyi gelir. (Turkish Proverb)
One pain negates another, and cold water soothes an ache [so why not rise above the current situation and press on].
(Only on CD)
|
| aç
(10k bytes)
| hunger |
- Aç mısınız? Are you hungry?
- Açım. I'm hungry.
- açlık, hunger
- acıkmak, to feel hunger;
Acıktım. I'm hungry.
(Only on CD)
|
| açık
(Only on CD)
| open, light (color), clear (meaning) |
- Kapım her zaman açık. My door is always open.
(Only on CD)
- Also, used with other words to form a large number of compound words and phrases, such as:
- açık durmak, to stand aside
- açık fikirli, broad-minded
- açık konuşmak, to speak candidly
- açık saçık, risque, off-color
- açıklama, explanation, statement, disclosure
- açıklamak, to explain, to clarify; Problemi açıklayabilir misiniz? Can you explain the problem?
(Only on CD)
|
| ad
(Only on CD)
| name | Adın ne? What's your name?
(Only on CD)
Adım Johnson. My name's Johnson. |
| ada
(Only on CD)
| island | |
| Aferin!
(Only on CD) | Bravo! Well done! | Frequently used in game situations -- or in praise of children... |
| Affedersin(iz). (Only on CD) | Excuse me. | affetmek, to forgive, to excuse; Affedersiniz, eczane nerede? Excuse me, where's the pharmacy/chemist/drug store? (Only on CD) |
| Afiyet olsun! (Only on CD) | Good appetite! | Said to fellow meal-takers at the start of a meal; said in response to meal compliments (delivered from meal-takers) by the meal presenter; said to someone you come upon who is about to eat or who is already eating. |
| ağabey (Only on CD) | older brother | Often used as a respectful endearment when a younger person speaks to a slightly older man. Vendors also use the term with male customers. |
| ağır (Only on CD) | heavy, weighty, serious |
- Bu ağır sandalyeyi kaldırabilir misiniz? Can you lift this heavy chair?
- Ağır otur ki "bey" desinler. (Turkish Proverb)
Sit serious(ly) so that they might call you a gentleman. (Only on CD)
- Also, used with other words to form other compound words and phrases, such as:
- ağır ağır, slowly
- ağır duymak, to be hard of hearing
- ağırına gitmek, to offend, to hurt one's feelings
|
| ağız (Only on CD) | mouth | Used in numerous Turkish idioms, phrases, and compound word constructions, such as:
- ağız dalaşı, a [verbal] quarrel, a row
- ağızdan ağıza, by word of mouth, by rumor
- ağız kokusu, bad breath
- ağız kalabalığı, a confused flow of words
- ağzı açık kalmak, to gape in astonishment
[note the apocapation in ağzı...]
Etek öpmekle ağız aşınmaz. (Turkish Proverb)
The mouth is not worn out by kissing a skirt. [There is no harm in being respectful to an elder or superior.] (Only on CD) |
| ağrı (Only on CD) | pain |
- "Hele kalb ağrılarım durdu" diyordum.
Y.K. Beyatlı, Turkish poet --
Kendi Gök Kubbemiz
I was saying, "Above all, my heart pains had stopped." (Only on CD)
- ağrı kesici, pain killer, analgesic
- ağrısı tutmak, to have birth pains begin, to start labor
|
| aile (Only on CD) | family | Onun ailesi oturma odasındadır. Her family is in the salon/living room. (Only on CD) |
| [-e] ait (Only on CD) | concerning to, relating to, belonging to | William'a ait palto, the coat belonging to William (Only on CD)
ait olmak, to concern, relate, belong to
ait değil, doesn't belong, doesn't concern
|
| akşam (Only on CD) | evening |
- Her akşam televizyon izlerim. I watch television every evening.
- akşam yemeği, dinner; Melissa, akşam yemeğini saat yedi buçukta yer. Melissa has dinner at half-past seven.
- İyi akşamlar; Good evening.
(Only on CD)
|
| alet (Only on CD) | tool | Bunlar marangozun aletleridir. These are the carpenter's tools. (Only on CD) |
| alınyazısı (Only on CD) | [one's] destiny, fate | Askere giden oğlu şehit oldu, alınyazısı kötüymüş, He met a sad fate -- his son who became a soldier was killed on duty. (Only on CD) |
| Allah (Only on CD) | God |
|
| almak (Only on CD) | to take, to buy |
- Ne alırsınız? What will you have [to eat/drink]?
- alışveriş, shopping
- Hocaya sormuşlar "Almak ile nasılsın?"
"Şahin gibi" demiş!
(Turkish Proverb)
They asked the hoca [an Islamic 'cleric'], "How [good] are you at taking?
He replied "as good as a falcon!" (Only on CD) |
| alt, altına, altında (Only on CD) | bottom, under, below, beneath | Ağır yükün altına girme belin incinir. (Turkish Proverb)
Don't take on a heavy load, you may injure your back. [Know your limits.] (Only on CD) |
| ama (Only on CD) | but | Vicdan yalan söylemez ama sık sık yanılır ve yanıltır. (Turkish Proverb)
C. Şahabeddin,
Tiryaki Sözleri
Conscience doesn't lie but it often blunders and makes mistakes. (Only on CD) |
| amca (Only on CD) | uncle | - Often used as an respectful endearment when a younger person speaks to [or of] a rather older man. Vendors also use the term with older male customers.
- Use it 'standing alone' or after a male person's name, as with:
Bob amca, Uncle Bob
|
| anlamak
mother
daughter
| to understand, to have knowledge of | - Hasmın sitemini anlamamak hasma sitemdir. (Turkish Proverb)
It is a reproach to your enemy not to acknowledge his reproach.
(33k bytes) - anlatmak, to explain, to tell
- anlaşmak, to come to an understanding/agreement with (someone)
female voice
(10k bytes)
male voice
(14k bytes)
- İlk işimiz, Bizim Yokuş'un meşhur Artin Efendisi ile anlaşmak oldu.
Y. Z. Ortaç, Author
Bizim Yokuş
Our first job was to come to an understanding with the famous Artin Efendi in Bizim Yokuş.
(Note: Bizim Yokuş is a general term for 'our neighborhood' or 'our precinct'.)
(44k bytes)
- anlaşma, agreement
|
| anne (Only on CD) | mother | - Şansım olsaydı annem beni kız doğururdu. (Turkish Proverb)
If I'd been lucky my mother would have given birth to me as a girl. (Only on CD)
- babaanne, grandmother (father's side)
- anneanne, grandmother (mother's side)
|
| aptal (Only on CD) | - stupid, silly, ridiculous
- a simpleton, a fool
| Aptal bir şeydir. That's a dumb-ass thing... (Only on CD) |
| araba (Only on CD) | car, automobile, wagon, carriage | - Rebbeca'nın harika bir arabası var. Rebecca has a very cool car.
- Araba devrildikten sonra yol gösteren çok olur. (Turkish Proverb)
After the carriage is overturned, there are many who would show the way... (Only on CD)
|
| aralık (Only on CD) | a break, a space or December |
aralıkta, in between
aralıklı, spaced, at intervals
aralıksız, continuous, continuously (Only on CD)
aralık ayı, the month of December |
| aramak (Only on CD) | to look for, to search, to inquire |
- araştırma, research
- Beni arasın. Ask her to call me.
- Sırdaş aramak sırrını yaymak içindir. (Turkish Proverb)
To look for a confidente is for the purpose of spreading your secret. (Only on CD)
|
ara,
arasında, arasına (Only on CD) | between, among | - Nurettin her gün Gümüldür ile İzmir arasında otobüs sürer. Nürretin drives a bus between Gümüldür and Izmir every day.
- Tavukların arasında bir tilki var. There's a fox among the chickens.
- Kazlar arasında kartal ve kartallar arasında kaz aynı ölçüde sıkılır.
C. Şehabeddin,
Tiryaki Sözleri
An eagle among some geese and a goose among some eagles are squeezed in the same measurement/amount.
(Only on CD) - ara sıra, from time to time, now and then
|
arka,
arkada, arkasında, arkasına (Only on CD) | back, behind | - arkasından, after
- Evimiz kütüphanenin arkasındadır. Our house is behind the library.
-
Arkada, eski bir gömlek, yırtık bir pabuç, ve yamalı pantolon bıraktı.
Y. Z. Ortaç
Bizim Yokuş
He left behind an old shirt, a torn pair of shoes, and a patched pair of pants. (Only on CD)
|
| arkadaş (Only on CD) | friend/companion |
- erkek arkadaş, boyfriend
- kız arkadaş, girlfriend
- Arkadaşının adı nedir? What's your friend's name?
- Ev almadan komşu, yola çıkmadan evvel arkadaş araştırınız.
(Hadis-i Şerif)
Before buying a house do research on your neighbor, before setting out on a journey do research on your [traveling] companion... (Only on CD) |
| artık (Only on CD) | now, at last, from now on, finally | Artık ilk bahar geldi. Spring has come at last.
(Only on CD)
Bıktım artık. I'm fed up now, I've stood this long enough.
(Only on CD)
Artık gidelim. That's enough of that, let's drop it finally and go. (Only on CD)
Artık bunu yapmaz. He won't do this anymore. (Only on CD) |
| asker (Only on CD) | soldier | askeri, military
askerlik, the military profession |
| asla (Only on CD) | never, by no means | Asla o adamdan hoşlanmadım! I never liked that man! (Only on CD) |
| aslan (Only on CD) | a lion, a brave person | O adam aslan gibidir. That man is very courageous. (Only on CD) |
| /-den/ aşağı(da) (Only on CD) | below, down, downstairs |
- Ayrandan aşağı katık olmaz. There is no foodstuff lower than ayran.
İ.H. Soykut, Türk Atalar Sözü Hazinesi, 112 (Only on CD)
- aşağı yukarı, approximately;
Aşağı yukarı on yıl önce oldu. It happened about ten years ago.
- aşağılık herif, a scoundrel, a rotten bastard
- Aşağıda oturmazsan yukarıda da yerin yoktur.
(Turkish Proverb)
If you can't sit below, there'll be no place for you above.
|
- aşk
(Only on CD)
- aşık
(Only on CD)
|
- love, passion
- in love, lover
|
- Examples for aşk...
- aşkı cismani, sensual love
- aşk Eflatunî, Platonic love
- Allah aşkına!, My goodness!
- Aşkolsun!
- Well done!
- Shame on you!
- Examples for aşık...
- aşık olmak, to fall in love
- Bodrumda aşık oldum! I fell in love in Bodrum!
(Only on CD)
|
| at | horse |
- ata binmek, to mount/ride a horse
- at yarışı, a horse race
- Used in countless Turkish Proverbs, such as:
Atın kulağını kesin yine attır, domuzun kuyruğunu kesin yine domuzdur...
[If you] cut off a horse's ears, it is still a horse. [And if you] cut off a pig's tail it is still a pig...
- Click following to see
use in a Turkish idiom...
|
| ateş (Only on CD) | [a] fire,
a person's temperature,
an animal's temperature | İtfaiyeci ateş söndürür. A fireman puts out fire.
ateşlemek, to fire [a weapon]
ateş kesmek, [to] cease fire
ateşli silahlar, firearms (Only on CD) |
| ay (Only on CD) | month or moon | - Ağustos ayı çok sıcaktır. The month of August is very hot.
- Temiz iş altı ayda çıkar. (Turkish Proverb)
It takes six months to finish a job decently. (Only on CD)
|
| ayak (Only on CD) | foot | - Onun ayağı kocamandır. His foot is huge.
- Used in numerous Turkish idioms, phrases, and compound word constructions, such as:
ayakkabı, shoe
ayağa kalkmak, to stand up, to get to your feet, to recover from illness
ayağa kaldırmak, to upset [a group], to incite
ayak parmağı, toe
ayakta tedavi, outpatient treatment [at hospital]
(Only on CD)
|
| ayar (Only on CD) | a device for checking accuracy, an adjustment (of time or of a machine) | ayarlamak, to adjust, to arrange
ayarlama, an adjustment
ayarlı bomba, time bomb
ayarsız, out of order, of unknown standard (Only on CD) |
| ayırmak (Only on CD) | to separate, to isolate, to divide into parts | ayırtmak, to reserve (Only on CD) |
| aynı (Only on CD) | same | aynı şey, the same thing (Only on CD) |
| ayrıntı (Only on CD) | a detail | ayrıntılarına inmek, to get down to the details of (something), to begin to look at (something) in detail (Only on CD) |
| az (Only on CD) | little | az kalsın, almost, nearly;
Az kalsın düşecektim. I nearly fell. (Only on CD) |
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