Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| salatalık | /saˈɫa.ta.ɫɯk/ |
| hıyar | /hɯˈjaɾ/ |
Both terms refer to the edible fruit, but they are used in different social contexts. While salatalık is the standard term for the vegetable, hıyar is a slang term used to describe a person who is acting foolishly or rudely, acting as a mild insult meaning 'idiot' or 'jerk'.
Which one should you use?
salatalık is the standard and polite term used for the vegetable in contexts like cooking and shopping. In contrast, hıyar is more colloquial and, as noted, can function as a slang insult.
Is it said differently in some regions?
hıyar is primarily used in the Turkish Republic of Cyprus.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of salatalık, add the suffix -lar to get salatalıklar.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The /s/ sound is like the [s] in [s]end, the /ɯ/ sound is somewhat like the [o] in ribb[o]n and the /k/ sound is like the [c] in [c]ore.
Did you know?
- The word salatalık is literally derived from salata meaning 'salad' and the suffix -lık, essentially naming the cucumber as 'the thing for salad'.
- Turkish speakers often use the phrase hıyar gibi meaning 'like a cucumber' to describe someone who is being particularly stubborn or obtuse.
Examples in context
- Ne uzun bir salatalık!What a long cucumber!This sentence is useful for expressing surprise at the length of a salatalık.Tatoeba #4737790 by duran, translation #489020 by Ooneykcall
- Ne uzun bir salatalık.What a long cucumber.This sentence is a simple way to state an observation about a salatalık.Tatoeba #4871102 by duran, translation #4870609 by zvzuibqx
- Ben bir salatalık yiyorum.I am eating a cucumber.This sentence shows how to use salatalık when describing the act of eating it.Tatoeba #1216571 by duran, translation #870110 by user
- Bugün salatalığın tadına baktım.I tasted the cucumber today.
- Pazardan taze salatalıklar aldım.I bought fresh cucumbers from the market.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elif and Mehmet are making a salad in the kitchen.
- ElifSalata için bir salatalık lazım.We need a cucumber for the salad.
- MehmetTamam, hemen bir tane alıyorum.Okay, I am getting one right now.
- ElifBu salatalık çok taze görünüyor.This cucumber looks very fresh.
- MehmetEvet, çok güzel görünüyor.Yes, it looks very nice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cucumber” translations and entries salatalık, hıyar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hıyar, salatalık, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
