hurma
/huɾma/from spelling rules
The English phrase "dates" (referring to the fruit) is translated into Turkish as hurma.
The word hurma is used to refer to the fruit itself as well as the general category of the fruit.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "dates", you use the form hurmalar.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /huɾma/. The [h] is like the [h] in home, the [u] is like the [oo] in cool, the [ɾ] is like the [t] in the American English word atom and the [m] is like the [m] in much.
When do people say it?
In Turkey, eating hurma is a traditional way to break the fast during Ramadan.
Did you know?
- The word hurma is a loanword that traveled from Middle Persian into Ottoman Turkish and then into modern Turkish.
- Unlike in English where 'dates' can mean social outings, the word hurma has no connection to romantic or social appointments.
- Because hurma is so central to Ramadan, it is common to see massive piles of the fruit sold from street carts in Turkish cities only during this holy month.
Examples in context
- Ali orucunu hurma ve suyla açtı.Ali broke his fast with dates and water.This sentence shows how to use hurma when breaking a fast.Tatoeba #6926101 by cinali, translation #6926100 by soliloquist
- Hangisini tercih edersin, kuru üzüm, kuru erik veya hurma mı?Which do you prefer, raisins, prunes or dates?This sentence shows how to use hurma when choosing between different dried fruits.Tatoeba #5409799 by deyta, translation #4351139 by mervert1
- Bu hurma çok tatlıymış.This date is very sweet.
Example conversation
Emre and Merve are eating snacks in the kitchen.
- EmreMerve, biraz hurma ister misin?Merve, would you like some dates?
- MerveEvet, teşekkürler, çok lezzetli görünüyorlar.Yes, thank you, they look very delicious.
- EmreTaze hurmalar her zaman daha iyidir.Fresh dates are always better.
- MerveHaklısın, bunlar gerçekten harika.You're right, these are truly wonderful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry hurma, 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 hurma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
