maymun
/majˈmun/
The English word "monkey" is translated into Turkish as maymun.
maymun is the noun used to refer to a primate.
Meaning: primate (noun)
Which one should you use?
While maymun is the standard term, maymuncuk is used as an affectionate or informal way to say "little monkey".
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this word in different grammatical contexts, you can use these forms: maymunlar for the plural "monkeys", maymunun for the genitive "of the monkey", maymuna for the dative "to the monkey" and maymunu for the accusative "the monkey".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of maymun is /majˈmun/. It can be broken down into the following sounds: the [m] from "much", the [y] from "yes", the [oo] from "cool" and the [n] from "not".
Did you know?
- The word maymun shares an unexpected ancestor with the Arabic word for 'lucky' or 'blessed'.
- In traditional Ottoman narratives, the maymun was sometimes used as a symbol of imitation or lack of true understanding.
- Unlike English, where 'monkey' is almost exclusively a noun, the Turkish word can be used in certain compound expressions to describe 'imitating' behavior in a derogatory way.
Examples in context
- Hiç maymun gördün mü?Have you ever seen a monkey?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has ever seen a maymun.Tatoeba #3876144 by duran, translation #2940756 by Hakaku
- O bir maymuna benziyor.She looks like a monkey.This sentence is useful for saying someone looks like a maymun.Tatoeba #4621600 by duran, translation #1955965 by Spamster
- Maymun bir muz istiyor.The monkey wants a banana.This sentence is useful for stating that a maymun wants a banana.Tatoeba #5147931 by duran, translation #5147543 by CarpeLanam
- 59 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Emre are looking at animals in a zoo.
- SelinŞu maymun çok komik görünüyor.That monkey looks very funny.
- EmreEvet, maymun ağaçta sallanıyor.Yes, the monkey is swinging on a tree.
- SelinEmre, bak! Küçük bir maymun geliyor.Emre, look! A small monkey is coming.
- EmreGerçekten çok sevimli bir maymun.It is truly a very cute monkey.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “monkey” translations and entries maymun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maymun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
