The Body Vocabulary in Turkish

Let’s learn the body vocabulary in Turkish! Those words are essential for anyone aiming to become conversationally fluent in Turkish. In this blog post, we’ll explore essential Turkish body vocabulary, take a deeper dive into specific body parts, and uncover common Turkish idioms related to the body. Hadi başlayalım!

1. Basic Body Parts in Turkish

Let’s start with the basics. Below is a list of commonly used Turkish words for body parts.

Turkish	English
Baş	Head
Yüz	Face
Göz	Eye
Kulak	Ear
Burun	Nose
Ağız	Mouth
Boyun	Neck
Kol	Arm
El	Hand
Parmak	Finger
Bacak	Leg
Ayak	Foot

Examples:

1. Başım ağrıyor. (My head hurts.)
2. Ellerini yıkamayı unutma. (Don’t forget to wash your hands.)
3. Kolun neden yaralı? (Why is your arm injured?)

2. Detailed Breakdown of Specific Body Parts

Now that we’ve covered the essentials, let’s dive into more specific parts of the body, breaking down different sections of the head, torso, and limbs.

Head and Face

Turkish	English
Alın	Forehead
Kaş	Eyebrow
Kirpik	Eyelash
Çene	Chin
Yanak	Cheek
Dudak	Lip
Diş	Tooth
Güzellik tanesi	Mole
Saç	Hair

Examples:

1. Kirpiklerin çok uzun. (Your eyelashes are very long.)
2. Dişçiye gitmeliyim, dişim ağrıyor. (I need to go to the dentist, my tooth hurts.)
3. Alnımda bir yara var. (I have a wound on my forehead.)

Torso and Upper Body

Turkish	English
Göğüs	Chest
Omuz	Shoulder
Karın	Abdomen
Bel	Waist
Sırt	Back

Examples:

1. Omuzlarım çok ağrıyor. (My shoulders hurt a lot.)
2. Sırtını dik tutmalısın. (You should keep your back straight.)
3. Karın egzersizleri yapıyorum. (I’m doing abdominal exercises.)

Limbs and Extremities

Turkish	English
Dirsek	Elbow
Bilek	Wrist
Önkol	Forearm
Diz	Knee
Topuk	Heel
Ayak bileği	Ankle
Pazı	Bicep

Examples:

1. Dizim ağrıyor, sanırım düştüm. (My knee hurts, I think I fell.)
2. Bileğini burktun mu? (Did you sprain your wrist?)
3. Topuklarımda ağrı var. (I have pain in my heels.)

3. Turkish Idioms Using Body Parts

To conclude this article, we want to give you a few Turkish idioms (deyim) using the body parts. Understanding these idioms will not only deepen your linguistic skills but also provide insight into Turkish culture and everyday life.

Göz atmak

• Literal Translation: To throw an eye.
• Meaning: To take a quick look at something.
• Example: Dosyaya göz attım. (I had a quick look at the file.)

Kulak vermek

• Literal Translation: To give an ear.
• Meaning: To listen attentively.
• Example: Konuşmasına kulak verdim. (I listened closely to her speech.)

El ele vermek

• Literal Translation: To give hand in hand.
• Meaning: To collaborate or work together.
• Example: Proje için el ele verdiler. (They worked together on the project.)

Dişini tırnağına takmak

• Literal Translation: To wear your teeth on your nails.
• Meaning: To work very hard or give your best effort.
• Example: Sınavı geçmek için dişini tırnağına taktı. (She worked very hard to pass the exam.)

Burnundan solumak

• Literal Translation: To breathe through the nose.
• Meaning: To be very angry or frustrated.
• Example: Patron burnundan soluyor. (The boss is fuming with anger.)

Başın sağ olsun

• Literal Translation: May your head stay healthy.
• Meaning: A condolence expression used when someone has lost a loved one, similar to saying “My condolences” in English.
• Example: Duyduğuma çok üzüldüm, başın sağ olsun. (I’m very sorry to hear that, my condolences.)