kirli
/ciɾli/from spelling rules
The English word "dirty" is kirli in Turkish.
kirli is an adjective used to describe something that is covered with or contains dirt. It often implies being covered in dust or grime.
Meaning: covered with or containing dirt (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word kirli is derived from the noun kir, which means "dirt".
Which one should you use?
While kirli means dirty, it often implies being covered in dust or grime, whereas pis is a stronger, more visceral term for filth or uncleanness. The word pis is more intense than kirli and is frequently used to describe things that are not just dusty, but disgusting or foul.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, kirli does not change its form to agree with gender, as Turkish has no grammatical gender.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA for kirli is /ciɾli/. The sound /c/ is like the 's' in sk[ew], /i/ is like the 'ee' in cr[ee]k and /ɾ/ is like the 't' in AME a[t]om.
Did you know?
- In Turkish, the word kirli is used in the phrase kirli çamaşırlar, which translates to 'dirty laundry' and is used idiomatically to refer to scandalous secrets or private grievances.
- While kirli refers to physical dirt, the word pis is used in Turkish to describe a 'dirty' personality or a 'nasty' habit, making it a moral judgment as well as a physical one.
- The word kirli is inherited from Ottoman Turkish كیرلی, reflecting the historical influence of the Arabic script on the language.
Examples in context
- Bu cam kirli mi?Is this glass dirty?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific glass is kirli.Tatoeba #6834428 by deyta, translation #6673060 by Eccles17
- O masa kirli mi?Is that table dirty?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific table is kirli.Tatoeba #10246220 by tulin, translation #9943902 by Alairis
- Bu yer çok kirli.This place is very dirty.This sentence is useful for stating that a place is very kirli.Tatoeba #4233046 by deyta, translation #2192265 by acbarbosa
- Eviniz ne kadar kirli!How dirty your house is!
- Bu masa çok kirli.This table is very dirty.
- Otel hijyenik değil, odalar pis.The hotel is not hygienic, the rooms are dirty.
- Bu kaza sonucu tüm giysileri lekelendi.All the clothes got stained as a result of this accident.
- 229 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At home, Merve is cleaning the laundry.
- CanBu kıyafetler çok kirli.These clothes are very dirty.
- MerveHepsini hemen yıkayalım mı?Should we wash them all immediately?
- CanEvet, kirli sepetine koyalım.Yes, let's put them in the dirty laundry basket.
- MerveTamam, ben hallederim.Okay, I'll handle it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dirty” translations and entries kirli, 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 kirli, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
