yunus
/juˈnus/
The English word dolphin is translated into Turkish as yunus. Wiktionary also lists delfin and ırgay.
Meaning: aquatic mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| yunus | /juˈnus/ |
| delfin | /delfin/ (from spelling rules) |
| ırgay | /ɯɾɡaj/ (from spelling rules) |
yunus refers to the aquatic mammal. It is also used as a common name for certain types of police or security units, such as Yunus Polis, to imply speed and agility.
Which one should you use?
While delfin is a loanword, yunus is the standard and most common term for dolphin in Turkish.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the word yunus plural, add the suffix -lar to form yunuslar.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /juˈnus/. You can think of the sounds as the [y] in [y]es, the [oo] in c[oo]l, the [n] in [n]ot and the [s] in [s]end.
Did you know?
- The word yunus is also a popular male given name in Turkey.
- The term yunus is derived from the story of the prophet Jonah, who was famously swallowed by a giant fish.
- In Turkish, dolphins are technically categorized as 'fish' in the common name yunus balığı, despite being mammals.
Examples in context
- Paul bir yunus eğitmeni.Paul is a dolphin trainer.This sentence uses yunus to describe a dolphin trainer.Tatoeba #5199779 by duran, translation #5190209 by CarpeLanam
- Yunus bir memeli türüdür.A dolphin is a kind of mammal.This sentence uses yunus to state that a dolphin is a type of mammal.Tatoeba #1514031 by deyta, translation #65811 by CK
- Hiçbir yunusa dokundun mu?Have you ever touched a dolphin?This sentence uses yunus to ask if someone has touched a dolphin.Tatoeba #1091995 by duran, translation #682206 by Source_VOA
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Burak are watching a nature documentary at home.
- SelinBak, denizde bir yunus görüyorum!Look, I see a dolphin in the sea!
- BurakGerçekten çok sevimli görünüyor.It really looks very cute.
- SelinYunuslar çok zeki hayvanlardır.Dolphins are very intelligent animals.
- BurakEvet, ben de öyle düşünüyorum.Yes, I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dolphin” translations and entries yunus, 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 yunus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
