Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| öpücük | /ø.pyˈd͡ʒyk/ |
| buse | /buse/ (from spelling rules) |
In Turkish, a kiss is a touch with the lips. The most common and widely-used term for this is öpücük. If you want to describe the act of giving a quick, light kiss, such as on the cheek, you can use the phrase öpücük kondurmak, which literally means "to plant a kiss".
Which one should you use?
There are two main nouns for kiss: öpücük and buse. While öpücük is the standard, everyday term, buse is a more poetic or formal way to express the same idea. Additionally, when choosing a verb, note that öpüşmek is a reciprocal verb meaning "to kiss each other", whereas öpmek means "to kiss (someone)".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "kisses", the plural form öpücükler is used.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables with the stress on the 3rd syllable. The sounds are /ø.pyˈdʒyk/. For the consonants, the /p/ is like the [p] in pan, the /dʒ/ is like the [j] in jump and the /k/ is like the [c] in core.
Did you know?
- In traditional Turkish culture, kissing the hand of an elder and then pressing it to one's forehead is a profound sign of respect.
- The phrase öpücük kondurmak uses a verb that literally means 'to land' or 'to perch', like a bird landing on a branch.
- The more poetic term buse is actually a loanword from Persian, which entered the Turkish language during the Ottoman era.
Examples in context
- Ona bir öpücük ver.Give him a kiss.This sentence shows how to use öpücük.Tatoeba #4635575 by duran, translation #3915889 by CH
- Bana bir öpücük ver.Give me a kiss.Tatoeba #2003428 by duran, translation #1844204 by CK
- Bana bir öpücük ver!Give me a kiss!Tatoeba #3740032 by maydoo, translation #5073607 by CarpeLanam
- Size bir öpücük verebilir miyim?May I give you a kiss?
- Bu zor zamanlarda birbirimize öpücük göndermek önemlidir.In these difficult times, it is important to send each other kisses.
- Arkadaşlarımla buluştuğumuzda herkes birbirine öpücük veriyor.When we meet with friends, everyone gives each other a kiss.
- Seni özledim, sana bir öpücük gönderiyorum.I missed you, sending you a kiss.
- 114 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic couple is saying goodbye at a cafe.
- MehmetGitmeden önce bir öpücük istiyorum.I want a kiss before you go.
- ZeynepTabii ki, canım.Of course, my dear.
- MehmetBu çok tatlı bir öpücük oldu.That was a very sweet kiss.
- ZeynepSeni seviyorum, Mehmet.I love you, Mehmet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kiss” translations and entries öpücük, buse, 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 buse, öpücük, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
