baş
/ˈbaʃ/
The English phrase "head" translates to Turkish as baş or kafa.
Meaning: part of the body (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| baş | /ˈbaʃ/ |
| kafa | /kɑfɑ/ |
Both words refer to the part of the body. In slang, kafa can also refer to a person's mind, mood or state of being.
Which one should you use?
kafa is more colloquial and is commonly used when referring to the physical body part or in casual speech.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to someone's head, you use the third-person possessive suffix, resulting in başı or kafası.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of baş is /ˈbaʃ/. The /b/ sound is like the [b] in about, and the /ʃ/ sound is like the [sh] in shoe.
Did you know?
- In Turkish there is a distinct difference in social nuance where calling someone's head kafa can sound animalistic or overly blunt if used in a formal setting.
- In Turkish, if you are described as having a 'big head', it might not mean your skull is large, but rather that you are being arrogant or conceited.
- While kafa is commonly used for the whole head, its original Arabic root actually referred specifically to the 'back of the head' or the 'nape'.
Examples in context
- O aklı başında biri.He has a good head on his shoulders.This sentence uses baş.Tatoeba #4945932 by duran, translation #399207 by CM
- O benim kafama vurdu.He hit me on the head.This sentence uses kafa.Tatoeba #1270834 by duran, translation #303763 by CK
- O ona başını salladı.She shook her head at him.Tatoeba #4149345 by duran, translation #4144738 by Hybrid
- Yüksek ateşim var, kafam çok kötü.I have a high fever, and my head feels very bad.
- Şirketin başı, bu zorlu dönemde büyük bir liderlik sergiledi.The head of the company showed great leadership during this challenging period.
- O bir dahi, matematikte başı çekiyor.He is a genius and excelling in mathematics.
- Kahkaha atmaktan kafam ağrıyor!I have a headache from laughing so much!
- Abi, kafayı mı yedin?Dude, have you lost your mind?
- 678 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Burak is helping Merve with her heavy backpack.
- MerveBu çanta çok ağır, başım dönüyor.This bag is very heavy, my head is spinning.
- BurakYavaşça yere otur, istersen dinlen.Sit down slowly, rest if you want.
- MerveTeşekkürler, biraz bekleyince geçer.Thanks, it will pass after waiting a bit.
- BurakTamam, ben buradayım.Okay, I am here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “head” translations and entries baş, kafa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries baş, kafa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
