deprem
/depˈɾem/
The Turkish word for earthquake is deprem. If unsure, use deprem. Wiktionary also lists zelzele.
Meaning: shaking of the surface of a planet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| deprem | /depˈɾem/ |
| zelzele | /ˈzæl.ze.le/ |
Both deprem and zelzele refer to the shaking of the surface of a planet.
Which one should you use?
deprem is the standard modern word used in everyday communication, while zelzele is an older, more formal or literary term.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'earthquakes', use depremler. Use the form depremin to indicate possession or a relationship (of the earthquake), and use depremde to say that something happened during or in an earthquake.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /depˈɾem/. The 'p' is like the [p] in pan, the 'r' is like the American English 't' in atom and the 'm' is like the [m] in much.
Did you know?
- The word deprem was specifically coined by the Turkish Language Association in 1934 to replace the Arabic-derived zelzele.
- The root depre- used in deprem is related to the verb meaning 'to shake' or 'to tremble', which can also describe shivering from cold.
- Turkish has a specific word for the 'aftershock' of a deprem called artçılar, derived from the word for 'following' or 'remaining'.
Examples in context
- Bir deprem var mıydı?Was there an earthquake?This sentence is useful for asking if an earthquake occurred using deprem.Tatoeba #3033839 by duran, translation #2892414 by CK
- O bir deprem değildi.That was not an earthquake.This sentence is useful for stating that something was not an earthquake using deprem.Tatoeba #4272505 by duran, translation #3434022 by AlanF_US
- Ev bir depremde çöktü.The house collapsed in an earthquake.This sentence is useful for describing something happening during an earthquake using deprem.Tatoeba #1041032 by duran, translation #24142 by Swift
- Türkiye, sık sık depremlerle karşılaşan bir ülkedir.Turkey is a country that frequently encounters earthquakes.
- Geçen ay İstanbul'da gerçekleşen deprem büyük bir yıkıma neden oldu.Last month's earthquake in Istanbul caused significant destruction.
- Çok büyük bir sarsıntı oldu, sanki yer sallanıyordu.There was a massive shake, as if the ground was moving.
- Hava karardı ve birdenbire her şey sallanmaya başladı.The sky darkened, and suddenly everything started shaking.
- 207 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Burak and Merve are talking in their living room after feeling a tremor.
- BurakMerve, az önce bir deprem mi oldu?Merve, was that an earthquake just now?
- MerveEvet Burak, yer çok sallandı.Yes Burak, the ground shook a lot.
- BurakUmarım bu deprem çok şiddetli değildir.I hope this earthquake is not very severe.
- MerveSanırım sadece küçük bir sarsıntıydı.I think it was just a small tremor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “earthquake” translations and entries deprem, zelzele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deprem, zelzele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
