Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| tekne | /tec.ne/ |
| kayık | /ka.jɯk/ |
| sandal | /sandal/ (from spelling rules) |
| gemi | /ɟemi/ (from spelling rules) |
| bot | /ˈbot/ |
The term tekne is the most versatile and common word for a boat, frequently used to refer to yachts or recreational vessels. For public transportation, such as a ferry, use the word vapur.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the size and type of the craft. Kayık refers specifically to small, often human-powered boats like rowboats or canoes. In contrast, tekne is a more general term for various sized boats and pleasure crafts. For large-scale ships or vessels, use gemi. The term bot is used for modern motorized crafts, such as inflatable dinghies or small motorboats, rather than traditional wooden ones.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of tekne, add the suffix -ler to get tekneler.
How do you pronounce it?
The word tekne is pronounced /tec.ne/. The c sounds like the [k] in the English word "skew", and the n sounds like the [n] in the English word "not".
Did you know?
- The word vapur for ferry is derived from the English word 'vapor'. This is a linguistic remnant of the early steam-powered ships that first arrived in the Ottoman Empire.
- Despite sounding like the English word for a footwear, the Turkish word sandal actually refers to a small boat.
- The common word for a boat, tekne, originally meant a 'trough' or a 'manger' used for animals.
Examples in context
- Bir teknen var mı?Do you have a boat?This sentence is useful for asking if someone owns a tekne.Tatoeba #6718571 by deyta, translation #6718098 by CK
- Ne büyük bir tekne!What a big boat!This sentence is useful for expressing surprise at the size of a tekne.Tatoeba #12088893 by deyta, translation #12088686 by CK
- Tom bir tekne çaldı.Tom stole a boat.This sentence is useful for describing an action involving a tekne.Tatoeba #5106011 by duran, translation #5102511 by CK
- Dün akşam denize tekne ile çıktık.Yesterday evening, we went out to the sea with a boat.
- Bu yaz tatilini balık avlayarak tekne ile geçirmeyi planlıyorum.I'm planning to spend this summer vacation fishing on a boat.
- Belediye, deniz taşımacılığı için yeni deniz araçları satın alacak.The municipality will buy new boats for maritime transportation.
- 253 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mehmet and Elif are looking at the sea at a marina.
- MehmetŞu beyaz tekne çok güzel.That white boat is very beautiful.
- ElifEvet, gerçekten çok şık görünüyor.Yes, it looks really stylish.
- MehmetOnunla gezintiye çıkmak ister misin?Do you want to go for a cruise with it?
- ElifÇok isterim, Mehmet.I would love to, Mehmet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boat” translations and entries tekne, kayık, sandal, gemi, bot, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gemi, kayık, sandal, tekne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
