girmek
/ɟiɾˈmec/
The Turkish verb for "enter" is girmek.
girmek is used to describe the action of going into a physical space like a room. It can also be used abstractly to describe entering a state, such as uykuya girmek (to enter sleep) or işe girmek (to start a job or enter the workforce). Related to this verb is the noun enter, which means "key".
Meaning: to go into (a room, etc.) (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In a sentence, girmek requires the dative case suffix (-e or -a) on the noun representing the place being entered. In colloquial spoken Turkish, it is very common to use the phrase içeri girmek (to enter inside) to emphasize the movement into a space.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of girmek is /ɟiɾˈmec/. You can approximate the sounds by comparing them to these English sounds: /ɟ/ as in ar[g]ue, /i/ as in cr[ee]k, /ɾ/ as in AmE a[t]om, /m/ as in [m]uch and /c/ as in s[k]ew.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the accusative case (the -i suffix) for the place being entered. Instead, you must use the dative case (-e or -a) for the noun.
Did you know?
- In Turkish, you do not 'enter a conversation' in a general sense, but you söze girmek to 'interrupt' or 'cut in' while someone else is speaking.
- The verb girmek is used in the phrase paniklemek or paniğe girmek to describe someone 'entering a panic'. This treats a state of extreme anxiety as a physical room that a person can walk into.
- In Turkish slang, girmek can be used to describe starting a fight or an argument, suggesting that the conflict is a space the participants have entered.
Examples in context
- Şimdi girmek güvenli mi?Is it safe to enter now?Tatoeba #4227937 by duran, translation #3238958 by CK
- O, vagona girmek istedi.She wanted to enter the carriage.Tatoeba #5338095 by duran, translation #5328709 by AlanF_US
- Tam odaya girmek üzereydik.We were just about to enter the room.Tatoeba #1716353 by duran, translation #249338 by CK
- Giriniz, lütfen.Please enter.
- Girin, lütfen.Please enter (group).
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Emre are standing in front of a closed shop.
- MerveMağazaya girmek istiyor musun?Do you want to enter the store?
- EmreEvet, içeri girmek istiyorum.Yes, I want to enter inside.
- MerveKapı çok dar görünüyor.The door looks very narrow.
- EmreSorun değil, girebiliriz.It's no problem, we can enter.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enter” translations and entries girmek, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
