Istanbul GenWeb FAQ

USEFUL TURKISH TERMS


Abla : Older sister.
Adı : First name, given name.
Ağabey : Older brother.
Amca : Paternal uncle.
Anne : Mother. Pronounced "Ah-neh". Sometimes spelled 'Ana', this seems to be the Anatolian variant.
Anneanne : Maternal grandmother.
Arkadaşı : Friend, comrade.
Baba : Father.
Babaanne : Paternal grandmother.
Baldız : Wife's sister.
Banacak : Wife's sister's husband.
Büyükbaba: Paternal grandfather.
Dede: Maternal grandfather.
Doğum Tarihi : Date of Birth.
Doğum Yeri : Place of Birth.
Elti : Sister-in-law.
Enişte : Aunt's husband.
Erkek çocuk : Son.
Erkek kardeş : Brother.
Hala : Paternal aunt.
Kardeşim : My brother.
Kaynana : Wife's mother.
Kaynata : Wife's father.
Kayınço : Wife's brother.
Kız çocuk : Daughter.
Kız kardeş : Sister.
Kuzen : Cousin. Note that this seems to be a recent borrowing into Turkish; an older Turkish lady told me that when she was young, they called their cousins "My aunt's son" or "my uncle's daughter" or such like.
Soyadı : Surname, family name.
Teyze : Maternal aunt.
Yenge : Uncle's wife.