Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| koca | /koˈd͡ʒa/ |
| eş | /ˈeʃ/ |
The word koca is used to refer to a male partner in a marriage. You can say kocam to mean 'my husband' or eşim to also mean 'my husband'.
Which one should you use?
koca specifically refers to a husband, whereas the gender-neutral term eş means spouse.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
koca is the standard word for husband, but it can sometimes carry a more colloquial or traditional connotation compared to the formal eş.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'your husband', you add the second-person singular possessive suffix -ın to koca, resulting in kocan.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /koˈdʒa/. The /k/ sound is like the [c] in core, and the /dʒ/ sound is like the [j] in jump.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be aware that koca can also mean 'big' or 'huge' when used as an adjective. Ensure the context is clear to avoid confusion with the noun meaning.
Did you know?
- The word koca shares a historical root with the word hoca, which means 'teacher' or 'professor' in modern Turkish.
- Because eş is completely gender-neutral, it is the preferred term in modern, egalitarian contexts to avoid the traditional connotations of koca.
Examples in context
- Ne iyi bir koca!What a good husband!This sentence is useful for expressing admiration for a husband using koca.Tatoeba #12089722 by deyta, translation #12088578 by CK
- Bir kocan var mı?Do you have a husband?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has a husband using koca.Tatoeba #2114148 by duran, translation #774849 by marloncori
- Tom iyi bir eştir.Tom is a good husband.This sentence is useful for describing someone as a good husband using eş.Tatoeba #5110857 by duran, translation #5109599 by CK
- Beyefendi, bu eşinizSir, this is your husband.
- 576 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Zeynep are talking about Zeynep's family.
- CanKocan nasıl, iyi mi?How is your husband, is he well?
- ZeynepEvet, kocacığım çok iyi.Yes, my dear husband is very well.
- CanOnunla tanışmak çok isterim.I would really love to meet him.
- ZeynepTabii, bir gün tanışırsınız.Of course, you will meet one day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “husband” translations and entries koca, eş, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eş, koca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
