cami
/d͡ʒami/from spelling rules
The English word "mosque" is translated into Turkish as cami. Wiktionary also lists mescit and toplak.
Meaning: a place of worship for Muslims (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| cami | /d͡ʒami/ (from spelling rules) |
| mescit | /mesˈd͡ʒit/ |
| toplak | /toplak/ (from spelling rules) |
In Turkish, the term for a mosque refers to a place of worship for Muslims.
Which one should you use?
While cami refers to a large, formal mosque, mescit is used for a smaller prayer room or a small local mosque. The form toplak is also available as a term for a mosque.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, mescit can be used as an alternative to cami.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of cami is /dʒami/. The sound /dʒ/ is like the [j] in jump, /m/ is like the [m] in much and /i/ is like the [ee] in creek.
Did you know?
- Entering a cami requires removing shoes, but unlike some other cultures, Turkish mosques often provide plastic bags for worshippers to carry their shoes with them.
- The term mescit comes from the Arabic root meaning 'to prostrate oneself', which emphasizes the physical act of prayer rather than the building itself.
- Many historic cami in Turkey are flanked by a medrese, which was a theological school, making the mosque the center of an early educational campus.
Examples in context
- Bu bir cami mi?Is this a mosque?This sentence is useful for asking if a building is a cami.Tatoeba #8339718 by soliloquist, translation #8246629 by Amastan
- Sami camiyi terk etti.Sami left the mosque.This sentence is useful for describing someone leaving a cami.Tatoeba #6767097 by deyta, translation #6709303 by OsoHombre
- Sami bir camiye gitti.Sami went to a mosque.This sentence is useful for describing someone going to a cami.Tatoeba #7416253 by deyta, translation #7414637 by OsoHombre
- 96 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elif and Can are walking through a neighborhood.
- ElifŞu ilerideki cami mi?Is that the mosque up ahead?
- CanEvet, o cami.Yes, that is the mosque.
- ElifÇok görkemli görünüyor.It looks very magnificent.
- CanGerçekten de öyle, Elif.It truly is, Elif.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mosque” translations and entries cami, mescit, 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 cami, mescit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
