Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| demek istemek | /demec istemec/ (from spelling rules) |
| kastetmek | /kastetmec/ (from spelling rules) |
When you want to talk about the literal meaning of a word or what you are trying to express, use demek istemek. If you are referring to a specific person or thing that you intend or aim to address, use kastetmek. Note that if you want to say someone is 'mean' in a personality sense, you would use terms like Kötü (bad/evil/mean) or the more descriptive Kötü kalpli (bad-hearted).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase demek istemek is composed of demek (to say) and istemek (to want), literally translating to 'to want to say'.
Which one should you use?
demek istemek is used for the literal meaning of words or what one intends to express. In contrast, kastetmek is more specific to intending or referring to a particular person or thing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb kastetmek is a compound verb made from the noun kast (intent) and the verb etmek (to do). It is often used in its negative form, kastetmemek, to say 'I didn't mean to'.
How do you pronounce it?
The sounds are similar to the English words [m]uch, s[k]ew, cr[ee]k and [s]end.
Did you know?
- The root of istemek traces back to a Proto-Turkic word for 'trace' or 'track', suggesting that 'to want' originally involved 'pursuing a trace'.
- In legal or formal contexts, kastetmek is often used to describe 'intent' in a crime, similar to the English legal term 'mens rea'.
- While 'mean' in English can be an adjective for personality, Turkish uses kötü kalpli which literally means 'bad-hearted'. This emphasizes the heart as the seat of morality.
Examples in context
- Onu kastetmek istemedim.I didn't mean him.This sentence shows how to use kastetmek in the negative to say you did not mean a certain person.Tatoeba #4469517 by duran, translation #3912392 by CH
- Kendini bana karşı zalimce davranmakla suçluyor.He accuses himself of treating me meanly.
- Bu şekilde insanları kötü olarak etiketlememelisin.You shouldn't label people as mean in this way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mean” translations and entries kastetmek, 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 demek, istemek, kastetmek, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
