özlemek
/øz.leˈmec/
To say miss in Turkish, meaning to feel the absence of someone or something, use özlemek. If unsure, use özlemek. Wiktionary also lists sağınmak.
Meaning: to feel the absence of someone or something, to feel the want or need of (verb)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| özlemek | /øz.leˈmec/ |
| sağınmak | /saːɯnmak/ (from spelling rules) |
özlemek expresses the emotional feeling of missing a person, a place or a thing, such as missing your family or your hometown.
Which one should you use?
sağınmak is a much rarer word with the same meaning. In everyday speech, özlemek is the word to use.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
For the past tense, add the suffix -di to the stem, giving özledim, I missed you or I have missed you. For the present continuous, add -yor, giving özlüyorum, I miss.
How do you pronounce it?
özlemek is pronounced /øz.leˈmec/, in three syllables with the stress on the last one. The final sound is a k made close to the k in skew.
What mistakes should you avoid?
özlemek is only for missing someone or something. Missing a target is a different word, ıska and the title Miss, used to address a woman, is bayan.
Did you know?
- The word özlemek is built from the word öz, which means 'self' or 'essence'. To miss someone in Turkish is etymologically linked to the idea of returning to one's own essence.
- The feeling of missing someone is often intertwined with gurbet, a specific term for the melancholy of being far from one's homeland.
- Because özlemek is strictly for emotional longing, you cannot use it for physical misses like 'missing a flight' or 'missing a bus'.
Examples in context
- Seni özlemek istemiyorum.I don't want to miss you.özlemek istemiyorum means I don't want to miss.Tatoeba #5330138 by deyta, translation #1468930 by CM
- Seni özlerim.I miss you.özlerim is a present form meaning I miss.
- Bayan Ayşe hazır mısınız?Miss/Ms. Ayşe, are you ready?
- Bayan Elif, size bu konuda yardımcı olabilir miyim?Miss/Ms. Elif, can I assist you with this matter?
- Hanımefendi, randevunuzun saati yaklaşıyor.Miss/Madam, your appointment time is approaching.
Example conversation
Elif and Emre are talking on the phone after a long time.
- ElifSeni gerçekten çok özlemekten yoruldum.I am tired of missing you so much.
- EmreBen de seni çok özledim, Elif.I missed you a lot too, Elif.
- ElifYakında görüşmeyi çok istiyorum.I really want to see you soon.
- EmreBen de, artık özlemek istemiyorum.Me too, I don't want to miss you anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “miss” translations and entries özlemek, 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 özlemek, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
