Tanrı uludur
/tanɾɯ uluduɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "God is great" is expressed in Turkish as Tanrı uludur.
This expression is used to praise and acknowledge the power and majesty of God.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tanɾɯ uluduɾ/. The /n/ sound is like the [n] in "not", the /ɾ/ sound is like the [t] in the American English pronunciation of "atom", the /ɯ/ sound is somewhat like the [o] in "ribbon" and the /u/ sound is like the [oo] in "cool".
Did you know?
- The phrase Tanrı uludur functions as a 'calque', meaning it was constructed by translating the meaning of an Arabic phrase word-for-word into Turkish rather than borrowing the Arabic words themselves.
- Ancient Turkic beliefs linked Tengri specifically to the blue sky, making the color blue a symbol of divinity and power in early Turkic culture.
- In modern Turkish, Tanrı is often used as a generic term for any deity, whereas Allah is used specifically for the God of Islam.
Examples in context
- Allah büyüktür ve bizlere merhamet eder.God is great, and He shows us mercy.
Example conversation
Two friends are admiring a beautiful mountain landscape.
- MerveŞu manzaraya bak, Tanrı uludur.Look at this view, God is great.
- MehmetEvet Merve, gerçekten büyüleyici bir yer.Yes Merve, it is truly a fascinating place.
- MerveDoğanın gücü beni her zaman şaşırtır.The power of nature always surprises me.
- MehmetHaklısın, burada huzur buluyorum.You are right, I find peace here.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Tanrı uludur, 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 Tanrı, Tanrı uludur, tanrı, CC BY-SA 4.0.
