Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| korkak | /koɾˈkak/ |
| tabansız | /tabanˈsɯz/ |
The word korkak is used to describe a person who lacks courage. To describe the act of behaving in a cowardly manner, you can use the phrase korkaklık etmek.
What does it mean word for word?
The word korkak is derived from the root kork-, meaning "to fear" and the suffix -ak, which forms an adjective or noun meaning "one who does X".
Which one should you use?
While korkak is the standard term for a coward, tabansız is a more insulting, colloquial term that implies a person lacks a "base" or "foundation", such as character or spine.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can form the noun for "cowardice" by adding the suffix -lık to korkak, resulting in korkaklık. To create the adverb "cowardly", add the suffix -ça to get korkakça.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of korkak is /koɾˈkak/. The [k] sound is like the [c] in "core", and the [ɾ] sound is like the American English [t] in "atom".
Did you know?
- The word korkak is used in the common idiom korkak her yerden köpek görür, which translates to 'a coward sees a dog everywhere'.
- While korkak is a general term, Turkish speakers might use tavşan yürekli to describe a coward, meaning 'rabbit-hearted'.
- The term tabansız literally means 'without a sole', referring to the bottom of a foot. It suggests that a coward lacks the firm footing or 'sole' needed to stand their ground.
Examples in context
- O büyük bir korkak.He's a big coward.This sentence is useful for describing someone as a big coward using korkak.Tatoeba #1257265 by duran, translation #1207551 by CK
- Jim bana korkak dedi.Jim called me a coward.This sentence is useful for showing how someone was called a coward using korkak.Tatoeba #1036369 by duran, translation #53272 by CN
- Ona göre o bir korkak.According to her, he is a coward.This sentence is useful for expressing what someone else believes about a person being a coward using korkak.Tatoeba #3386326 by deyta, translation #1155835 by CH
- Benimle işbirliği yapmayan bir korkaktır.He is a coward who refuses to work with me.
- O cesaretsiz adam hiçbir zorluğu üstlenemez.That cowardly man cannot take on any challenges.
- Oğuz, gerçekten ödlek davrandın!Oğuz, you really acted like a coward!
- 76 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emre and Elif are discussing a person who refused to help a friend.
- EmreBence o sadece bir korkak.I think he is just a coward.
- ElifHaklı olabilirsin, çok korkak davrandı.You might be right, he acted like a coward.
- EmreDoğruyla yüzleşemeyecek kadar korkak biri.He is a person too cowardly to face the truth.
- ElifMaalesef, bu davranışı hiç hoş değil.Unfortunately, this behavior is not pleasant at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coward” translations and entries korkak, tabansız, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
