100 Turkish Loanwords from Arabic, Persian & French

Turkish is a linguistic mosaic, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange. Due to the Ottoman Empire’s vast influence, Turkish absorbed many words from "Arabic, Persian, and French". While modern Turkish has undergone reforms to simplify vocabulary, many loanwords remain deeply embedded in daily speech.

In this post, we’ll explore 100 common Turkish loanwords from these three languages, their meanings, example sentences with English translations, and how they’re used today.

100 BORROWED WORDS IN TURKISH

Common Turkish Words That Are Similar to English (Loanwords You Already Know!)

1. Arabic Loanwords in Turkish

Arabic had the strongest influence on Ottoman Turkish, especially in religion, law, and science. Many words remain in modern Turkish.

Common Arabic Loanwords with Examples:

• Aile (عائلة) Family "Ailemle pazar kahvaltısı yapmayı çok seviyorum. I love having Sunday breakfast with my family.
• Adalet (عدالة) Justice "Adalet herkes için eşit olmalıdır." Justice should be equal for everyone.
• Akıl (عقل) Mind, intelligence "Bu problemi çözmek için biraz akıl gerekiyor." Solving this problem requires some intelligence.
• Beyaz (أبيض) White "Beyaz bir gömlek giymiş." He wore a white shirt.
• Cevap (جواب) Answer "Soruma hâlâ cevap alamadım." I still haven’t received an answer to my question.
• Dua (دعاء) Prayer "Yolculuğa çıkmadan önce dua ettik." We said a prayer before starting the journey.
• Edebiyat (أدب) Literature "Türk edebiyatında çok güzel eserler var." There are many beautiful works in Turkish literature.
• Fikir (فكر) Idea, thought "Bu proje için yeni fikirlere ihtiyacımız var." We need new ideas for this project.
• Hakikat (حقيقة) Truth "Hakikat her zaman ortaya çıkar." The truth always comes out.
• Hastalık (مرض) Illness "Hastalığından dolayı okula gidemedi." He couldn’t go to school because of his illness.

Building Your Turkish Vocabulary with Stories and Tales

2. Persian Loanwords in Turkish

Persian influenced Ottoman Turkish in poetry, art, and daily expressions. Many Persian words relate to beauty, emotions, and nature.

Common Persian Loanwords with Examples:

• Aşk (عشق) Love "Aşk, hayatın en güzel duygusudur." Love is the most beautiful feeling in life.
• Bahar (بهار) Spring (season) "Bahar geldiğinde doğa canlanır." Nature comes alive when spring arrives.
• Can (جان) Soul, life "Canım sıkıldı, biraz gezelim." I’m bored; let’s take a walk.
• Dost (دوست) Friend "Gerçek dost zor zamanlarda belli olur." A true friend is revealed in hard times.
• Ferman (فرمان) Decree, command "Padişahın fermanı herkesi bağlar." The sultan’s decree binds everyone.
• Gönül (گل) Heart (emotional) "Gönlüm ona kapıldı." My heart fell for him/her.
• Hane (خانه) House "Bu mahallede elli hane var." There are fifty houses in this neighborhood.
• Hülya (هیلا) Daydream "Hülyalara dalıp saatlerce pencereye baktı." He got lost in daydreams and stared out the window for hours.

3. French Loanwords in Turkish

French became influential in the 19th century, especially in modernization, fashion, and military terms.

Common French Loanwords with Examples:

• Ajanda (Agenda) Planner "Toplantı tarihini ajandama yazdım." I wrote the meeting date in my planner.
• Bilet (Billet) Ticket "Konser biletimi internetten aldım." I bought my concert ticket online.
• Ceket (Jaquette) Jacket "Hava soğuk, ceketini giy." It’s cold, put on your jacket.
• Dekorasyon (Décoration) Decoration "Yeni dekorasyon evi çok güzel yapmış." The new decoration made the house look great.
• Egoist (Égoïste) Selfish "Çok egoist biri, hep kendini düşünüyor." He’s very selfish; he only thinks about himself.

These loanwords make Turkish a fascinating blend of cultures. Did you recognize any of these words? Which language’s influence surprises you the most? Let us know in the comments!