Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hayat | /haˈjat/ /ha.jaːˈtɯ/ |
| yaşam | /jaˈʃam/ |
| ömür | /œˈmyɾ/ |
| dirim | /diˈɾim/ |
All these terms refer to the state of being alive. Hayat is used for the general concept of life or an individual's personal existence. Yaşam refers to life or living, often in a biological or sociological sense. Ömür refers specifically to a lifespan or the duration of a life, while dirim is a rare, literary term for vitality or a life force.
Which one should you use?
Hayat is the most common word for the general or abstract concept of life. Yaşam is used in more formal, biological or sociological contexts, such as describing a lifestyle (yaşam tarzı) or a life cycle (yaşam döngüsü). Ömür focuses on the duration of a lifespan. Dirim is an archaic or highly literary term for vitality.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because hayat ends in a consonant, when adding a possessive suffix like 'my life', the suffix follows the rules of vowel harmony, resulting in hayatım. To express 'his/her life' as a direct object in a sentence, you use the accusative form hayatını, as in Hayatını değiştirdi (He changed his life).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of hayat is /haˈjat/. The /h/ sound is like the [h] in home and the /j/ sound is like the [y] in yes.
Did you know?
- In romantic contexts, Turkish speakers often use hayatım (my life) as a common term of endearment similar to 'honey' or 'darling'.
- The word yaşam is a relatively modern creation, coined in 1949 by the linguist Nurullah Ataç to promote pure Turkish.
- When wishing someone a long life, Turks might say Ömrün uzun olsun, literally meaning 'let your lifespan be long'.
Examples in context
- Bu ömürlük bir iş.This is a job for life.This example shows how to use ömür to describe a task lasting a lifetime.Tatoeba #8139634 by soliloquist, translation #8136582 by Amastan
- Bu güzel bir hayat.It's a beautiful life.This example uses hayat to describe a beautiful life.Tatoeba #3597788 by maydoo, translation #2783523 by al_ex_an_der
- Hayat çok zor oldu.Life has become very difficult.This example uses hayat to describe how life has become difficult.Tatoeba #4695615 by duran, translation #4665066 by CK
- Hayat güzeldir.Life is beautiful.
- Yaşam döngüsüLife cycle
- Normalde hayatta daha dikkatli olurum.Normally, I'm more careful in life.
- Kısa ömürlü olmayıp uzun bir hayat sürmek isterim.I want to have a long life, not a short one.
- Hayatta böyle şeyler olmaz.Such things don't happen in real life.
- Hayatımı değiştirdi.He/she changed my life.
- Hayat dolu dolu yaşamak.To live life to the fullest.
- Hayatta başarılar dileriz!We wish you success in life!
- 3036 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Burak are talking about their future plans.
- SelinHayatımın geri kalanında burada yaşamak istiyorum.I want to live here for the rest of my life.
- BurakNeden burayı seçtin, Selin?Why did you choose this place, Selin?
- SelinSakin bir hayat bana daha çok uyuyor.A quiet life suits me better.
- BurakHaklısın, huzur her şeyden önemli.You are right, peace is more important than anything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries hayat, yaşam, ömür, dirim, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dirim, hayat, yaşam, ömür, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
