veya
/veja/from spelling rules
The English phrase "or" is translated into Turkish as veya.
The conjunction is used to connect two or more possibilities or alternatives.
Which one should you use?
Veya is the direct translation for "or", whereas ya da is a versatile alternative used to express the same concept.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /veja/. The /v/ sound is like the [v] in "vase", and the /j/ sound is like the [y] in "yes".
Did you know?
- The word veya is a linguistic hybrid because it combines the Arabic word for 'and' ve with the Persian word for 'or' ya.
- Turkish uses yoksa as a specific type of 'or' when asking a question that suggests a surprising alternative or a correction.
- The word ya on its own can function as a versatile particle used to express surprise, doubt or to seek confirmation, entirely independent of its meaning as 'or'.
Examples in context
- Satın al veya öl!Buy or die!This sentence shows how to use veya in a command.Tatoeba #3606835 by deyta, translation #1671934 by loghaD
- Özgür yaşa veya öl.Live free or die.Tatoeba #4356187 by deyta, translation #2069534 by halfb1t
- Koyun veya keçi mi bu?Is this a sheep or a goat?This sentence shows how to use veya when asking a question about two options.Tatoeba #3592781 by deyta, translation #1635342 by Amastan
- Ali veya AhmetAli or Ahmet
- Git veya kalGo or stay
- Araştırma yap veya kitap okuDo research or read a book
- Büyük bir pizza mı yoksa iki küçük pizza mı istersin?Do you want a large pizza or two small pizzas?
- Kahve ya da çay alabilirsinYou can have coffee or tea
- Beyaz ya da siyah gömlek tercih ederimI prefer a white or black shirt
- Git ya da kal, kararı sana bırakıyorumGo or stay, the decision is yours
- 371 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mehmet and Selin are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- MehmetPizza veya makarna yiyelim mi?Shall we eat pizza or pasta?
- SelinMakarna harika olur, Mehmet.Pasta would be great, Mehmet.
- MehmetEvde yapalım veya dışarıdan söyleyelim.Let's make it at home or order from outside.
- SelinBence dışarıdan söyleyelim.I think we should order from outside.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry veya, 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 veya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
