dil
/ˈdil/
The English word 'language' is translated into Turkish as dil. If unsure, use dil. Wiktionary also lists til and lisan.
Meaning: body of words used as a form of communication (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dil | /ˈdil/ | |
| til | /til/ (from spelling rules) | |
| lisan | /liˈsɑn/ | obsolete |
The term refers to a body of words used as a form of communication.
What does it mean word for word?
The word dil literally means 'tongue', referring to the anatomical organ.
Which one should you use?
til is a dialectal variation. lisan is an older, loanword-based term from Arabic that is now considered obsolete in modern standard Turkish.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While lisan was once a formal synonym, it is now considered obsolete.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form til is a dialectal variation found in certain Anatolian Turkish dialects. In regions such as Eastern Anatolia, the word lehçe is used to mean 'language'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdil/. The vowel sound is like the [ee] in cr[ee]k.
Did you know?
- Turkish uses the word dil in the phrase dil dökmek, which literally means 'to pour out one's tongue' but actually means to plead with someone or try to persuade them.
- The word dil is a homonym in Turkish. While it means 'language' or 'tongue', it also means 'heart' when borrowed from Persian.
- In Turkish, the phrase dilinin ucunda describes something that is 'on the tip of your tongue', used exactly like the English idiom for forgetting a word.
Examples in context
- Bu zor bir dil.It's a difficult language.This sentence is useful for describing the difficulty level of a dil.Tatoeba #3035199 by Gulo_Luscus, translation #3015879 by CM
- Bu kötü bir dil.This is an ugly language.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a dil.Tatoeba #5616219 by duran, translation #5615952 by mailohilohi
- Çok hoş bir dil.It's such a lovely language.This sentence is useful for expressing a positive opinion of a dil.Tatoeba #5922930 by deyta, translation #5922551 by mailohilohi
- İngilizce, İspanyolca ve Fransızca dillerini konuşabiliyorum.I can speak the languages of English, Spanish, and French.
- Bu üniversitede birçok lisan öğretimi yapılıyor.Many languages are taught at this university.
- 1300 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Can are talking about their studies at a cafe.
- MerveYeni bir dil öğrenmeye başladın mı?Did you start learning a new language?
- CanEvet, İspanyolca öğreniyorum.Yes, I am learning Spanish.
- MerveBu dil çok eğlenceli!This language is very fun!
- CanKesinlikle, çok sevdim.Definitely, I loved it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “language” translations and entries dil, lisan, 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 dil, lisan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
