pahalı
/pa.haˈɫɯ/
The English word 'expensive' is translated into Turkish as pahalı.
The word pahalı is used to describe something that has a high price or cost. In informal contexts, you might hear the word tuzlu, which literally means 'salty' but is used to describe something as expensive. Additionally, the phrase bir servet, meaning 'a fortune', can be used to describe something that is excessively expensive.
Meaning: having a high price or cost (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable. The sounds are as follows: /p/ as in [p]an, /h/ as in [h]ome and /ɯ/ is somewhat like the vowel in ribb[o]n.
Did you know?
- Historically, pahalı comes from the Ottoman Turkish form بهالو, reflecting the influence of the Arabic script on the language's development.
- In the context of luxury, pahalı can sometimes carry a positive connotation of 'high quality' or 'prestigious' rather than just being a complaint about the price.
- The word pahalı is formed by adding the suffix -lı to paha, which means 'price' or 'value'. In Turkish, this suffix is frequently used to turn a noun into an adjective meaning 'possessing that quality'.
Examples in context
- O at çok pahalı.That horse is very expensive.This sentence shows how to say a horse is very expensive using pahalı.Tatoeba #4466599 by tulin, translation #4463930 by AlanF_US
- O çok pahalı mı?Is that too expensive?This sentence is useful for asking if something is too expensive using pahalı.Tatoeba #4713527 by duran, translation #4494636 by CK
- O, yine de pahalı.It's expensive though.This sentence shows how to express that something is expensive even with a qualifier using pahalı.Tatoeba #1487756 by duran, translation #39299 by CM
- Bu araba çok pahalıThis car is very expensive
- Bu elbise tuzluThis dress is expensive
- Bu otobüs biraz pahalıdır.This bus is a little expensive
- Bu ev çok pahalıdır.This house is very expensive
- 694 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Merve are shopping for clothes at a mall.
- CanBu ceket gerçekten çok pahalı.This jacket is really very expensive.
- MerveEvet, ama kalitesi çok yüksek.Yes, but its quality is very high.
- CanYine de bana çok pahalı geldi.Still, it seemed too expensive to me.
- MerveO zaman başka bir modele bakalım.Then let's look at another model.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “expensive” translations and entries pahalı, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pahalı, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
