kanka
/ˈkan.ka/
The Turkish word for bestie is kanka.
kanka is a slang term used to mean mate or buddy. It is an informal way to refer to a very close friend.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
kanka is highly informal and is primarily used among peers or close friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can create the possessive form kankam by adding the suffix -m to the end of the word, which means 'my bestie'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈkan.ka/. The stress is on the first syllable. The /k/ sound is like the [c] in core, and the /n/ sound is like the [n] in not.
Did you know?
- The term may actually be a loanword from the Romani language, where kanka also means 'friend'.
- The term kanka is so common in Turkish street slang that it can sometimes function as a generic filler word, much like how 'dude' is used in English.
- While 'bestie' is often used by any gender, using kanka with someone significantly older than you might come across as unexpectedly disrespectful rather than just friendly.
Examples in context
- Nereye gidiyorsun, kanka?Where are you going, buddy?
- Selam kanka, naber?Hey bestie, what's up?
- Kanka, bu akşam boş musun?Bestie, are you free this evening?
Example conversation
Two friends are chatting via text message.
- ElifKanka, yeni bir dizi buldum.Bestie, I found a new series.
- MehmetHarika, beraber izleyelim mi?Great, shall we watch it together?
- ElifTamam, sana geliyorum.Okay, I'm coming to you.
- MehmetTamamdır, bekliyorum.Alright, I'm waiting.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kanka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kanka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
