Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kuzen | /kuˈzæn/ | masculine |
| amcaçocuğu (FBC) | ||
| amcaoğlu (FBS) | ||
| amcakızı (FBD) | ||
| teyzeçocuğu (MZC) | ||
| teyzeoğlu (MZS) | ||
| teyzekızı (MZD) | ||
| halaçocuğu (FZC) | ||
| halaoğlu (FZS) | ||
| halakızı (FZD) | ||
| dayıçocuğu (MBC) | ||
| dayıoğlu (MBS) | ||
| dayıkızı (MBD) | ||
| böle | /bøle/ (from spelling rules) | |
| kuzin | /kuzin/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
Turkish provides a general term, kuzen, which is a loanword from French. While kuzen is used in modern, urban or formal contexts, Turkish speakers often use more specific kinship terms to identify exactly which side of the family a cousin belongs to. For example, you can use kız kuzen to specifically refer to a female cousin.
Which one should you use?
The general term kuzen is masculine. You can also use the specific terms: amcaçocuğu, amcaoğlu, amcakızı, teyzeçocuğu, teyzeoğlu, teyzekızı, halaçocuğu, halaoğlu, halakızı, dayıçocuğu, dayıoğlu, dayıkızı. Additionally, kuzin is a feminine form of cousin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix -oğlu is used in many specific cousin terms to denote a male cousin, meaning "son of". The plural form for cousins in Turkish is kuzenler.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kuˈzæn/. The sounds are similar to the English words: [c]ore for /k/, c[oo]l for /u/, [z]one for /z/, c[a]t for /æ/ and [n]ot for /n/.
Did you know?
- While kuzen is common today, traditional Turkish society often viewed amcaoğlu and dayıoğlu as closer kinship ties than a general 'cousin', sometimes treating them almost as brothers.
- While kuzen is a modern loanword, using it in a traditional family setting might make you sound distant or overly formal compared to the specific kinship terms.
- Turkish distinguishes cousins based on whether the parent was a brother or sister and whether that parent was the father's or mother's sibling. For example amca is the father's brother while dayı is the mother's brother.
Examples in context
- Tom senin kuzenin mi?Is Tom your cousin?This sentence uses kuzen to ask if someone is a cousin.Tatoeba #6841404 by duran, translation #6841266 by CK
- O benim kuzenim değil.He's not my cousin.This sentence uses kuzen to state someone is not a cousin.Tatoeba #2040707 by duran, translation #574175 by CM
- O benim kuzenimle evli.He's married to my cousin.This sentence uses kuzen to describe someone being married to a cousin.Tatoeba #4785842 by deyta, translation #3342521 by Hybrid
- Kuzenimle yarın sinemaya gideceğim.I am going to the movies with my cousin tomorrow.
- Kuzenler bir araya gelsin!Let the cousins gather together!
- 147 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Zeynep are talking about a family gathering.
- CanSenin kuzenin de gelecek mi?Is your cousin coming too?
- ZeynepEvet, kuzenim bugün bize geliyor.Yes, my cousin is coming to us today.
- CanOnunla vakit geçirmek çok eğlenceli.It is very fun to spend time with him.
- ZeynepKesinlikle, o çok cana yakın biridir.Definitely, he is a very friendly person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cousin” translations and entries kuzen, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
