Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| kahraman | /kɑh.ɾɑ.mɑn/ |
| yiğit | /jiɣit/ |
| alp | /ˈaɫp/ (standard) |
| bahadır | /bahadɯɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
In Turkish, these terms are used to describe a person of great bravery.
Which one should you use?
kahraman is the most common and versatile word for hero, used in both literature and everyday speech. In contrast, yiğit emphasizes a person's courageous character or manliness rather than just being a protagonist in a story. For more specialized or historical contexts, you might use alp, which is an archaic term used primarily in historical contexts or epic poetry to refer to a legendary warrior or bahadır, a more old-fashioned or literary term for a hero, often carrying a sense of nobility.
How do you pronounce it?
The word kahraman has three syllables. The pronunciation is /kɑh.ɾɑ.mɑn/. For the sounds, think of the English letters in brackets: /k/ as in [c]ore, /h/ as in [h]ome, /ɾ/ as in AmE a[t]om, /m/ as in [m]uch and /n/ as in [n]ot.
Did you know?
- The term bahadır shares an ancestral root with the Middle Mongol word for a brave warrior, reflecting the deep historical links between Turkic and Mongol cultures.
- Historically, the term alp was not just a description but a title used in epic poetry to signify a specific class of legendary warrior.
Examples in context
- O bir kahraman oldu.He became a hero.This sentence is useful for describing someone becoming a hero using kahraman.Tatoeba #13498999 by vowelharmony, translation #8480563 by CH
- O bir kahraman değil.He's not a hero.This sentence is useful for stating someone is not a hero using kahraman.Tatoeba #2009860 by duran, translation #1815763 by Spamster
- Kahraman kötü adam oldu.The hero became the villain.This sentence is useful for describing a hero becoming a villain using kahraman.Tatoeba #1505267 by duran, translation #1284215 by CK
- Kurtuluş Savaşı'nda gösterdiği cesaretle Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk bir kahramandır.Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is a hero with the bravery he showed during the War of Independence.
- O, gerçek bir kurtarıcı ve kahramandır.He is a true savior and hero.
- Ya, sen gerçekten abi gibi bir kahramansın!Wow, you're really like a hero, man!
- 145 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Mehmet are discussing a story about a brave person.
- SelinBu hikayedeki adam gerçek bir kahraman.The man in this story is a true hero.
- MehmetEvet, çok cesurca davrandı.Yes, he acted very bravely.
- SelinHerkes onu bir kahraman olarak görüyor.Everyone sees him as a hero.
- MehmetHaklısın Selin, gerçekten öyle.You are right Selin, he really is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hero” translations and entries kahraman, yiğit, alp, bahadır, 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 alp, bahadır, kahraman, yiğit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
