mutlu
/mutlu/from spelling rules
The English word "happy" is translated into Turkish as mutlu.
mutlu is used to describe a state of being contented or joyous. To express the verb "to be happy," you combine the adjective with the auxiliary verb olmak (to become/to be), resulting in the phrase mutlu olmak. Additionally, in an informal context, the expression Güle güle kullan is used when someone acquires a new possession, which can be translated as "use it happily."
Meaning: contented, joyous (adj)
Which one should you use?
While mutlu describes a state of being happy or contented, the word neşeli is used instead when describing someone who is more "cheerful" or "lively" in temperament.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective mutlu does not change its form to agree with the gender or number of the noun it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /mutlu/. The m sound is like the [m] in "much" and the u sound is like the [oo] in "cool".
When do people say it?
The expression Güle güle kullan is used when someone acquires a new possession and can be translated as "use it happily."
Did you know?
- When someone is very happy, Turks may use the expression mutluluktan uçmak, which means 'to fly from happiness'.
- To say 'I am happy', a Turkish speaker says mutluyum, which attaches the pronoun 'I' as a suffix to the word mutlu.
- The word mutlu is actually a hidden way of saying 'hopeful', as it is built from the word umut, which means 'hope'.
Examples in context
- O mutlu bir şey.It's a happy thing.This sentence demonstrates the use of mutlu to describe an object.Tatoeba #2049986 by duran, translation #1181701 by Scott
- Git ve mutlu ol!Go and be happy!This sentence shows how to use mutlu in an imperative phrase to say "be happy."Tatoeba #5297759 by deyta, translation #2747968 by catcher
- O mutlu bir ses.That's a happy sound.This sentence shows how to use mutlu to describe a sound.Tatoeba #5615073 by deyta, translation #2044473 by CK
- Bugün çok mutluyum!Today, I am very happy!
- Neden mutlusun?Why are you happy?
- Sınavımdan 100 aldım!I got 100 in my exam!
- 3001 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Burak and Selin are talking about their new jobs.
- BurakYeni işin nasıl gidiyor, Selin?How is your new job going, Selin?
- SelinHer şey harika, çok mutluyum!Everything is great, I am very happy!
- BurakSeni böyle mutlu görmek beni sevindirdi.It made me glad to see you happy like this.
- SelinTeşekkür ederim, Burak.Thank you, Burak.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy” translations and entries mutlu, 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 mutlu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
