öğle yemeği
/øːle jemeji/from spelling rules
The English phrase lunch is translated into Turkish as öğle yemeği.
Öğle yemeği refers to the meal eaten around midday. Note that while English speakers often say they are "having" lunch, in Turkish you typically use the verb yemek (to eat) to describe the action of consuming a meal.
Meaning: meal around midday (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a compound noun consisting of öğle, meaning midday or noon and yemeği, which is a form of yemek (food or meal), literally translating to "midday meal".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word yemeği is the possessive form of yemek. This specific form is required when combining the two words to create the compound noun öğle yemeği.
How do you pronounce it?
The /j/ sound is like the [y] in "yes", the /m/ sound is like the [m] in "much" and the /i/ sound is like the [ee] in "creek".
Did you know?
- In Turkish culture, the midday meal is often the most substantial meal of the day, whereas dinner is frequently a lighter affair.
- The word öğle is derived from an ancient Proto-Turkic root meaning 'time'. Over centuries, the general sense of 'time' narrowed specifically to mean 'noon'.
- The spelling of öğle contains the letter 'ğ', a 'soft g' that is often silent or lengthens the preceding vowel in modern Turkish pronunciation.
Examples in context
- O öğle yemeği yiyor.He is having lunch.This sentence shows how to use öğle yemeği with the verb for eating.Tatoeba #1223303 by duran, translation #296636 by CK
- Öğle yemeği yedin mi?Have you eaten lunch?This sentence uses öğle yemeği to ask if someone has eaten the midday meal.Tatoeba #2077989 by soliloquist, translation #1477113 by weihaiping
- Öğle yemeği hazır mı?Is lunch ready?This sentence uses öğle yemeği to ask if the meal is prepared.Tatoeba #3002849 by duran, translation #2953005 by CK
- Lütfen, öğle yemeğini burada mı yiyoruz?Please, are we having lunch here?
- Öğle yemeği saati ne zaman?What time is lunch?
- 1211 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing their break at the office.
- ElifÖğle yemeği için ne yiyoruz?What are we eating for lunch?
- EmreBen sandviç yiyeceğim.I will eat a sandwich.
- ElifTamam, ben de öğle yemeği hazırladım.Okay, I prepared lunch too.
- EmreHarika, hadi yiyelim!Great, let's eat!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunch” translations and entries öğle yemeği, 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 öğle, öğle yemeği, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
