Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| prens | /piˈɾens/ |
| şehzade | /ʃeh.zaːˈde/ |
| beyrek | /bejɾec/ (from spelling rules) |
The term refers to the son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch. Depending on the historical or cultural context, different terms are used to specify the type of royalty being discussed.
Which one should you use?
prens is the term used when referring to princes in Western European contexts or modern European royalty. In contrast, use şehzade specifically when referring to princes of the Ottoman Empire or within an Islamic or Ottoman historical context. The term veliaht is a more specific formal term used to refer to a crown prince or heir apparent.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate possession or relationship, the genitive form of prens is prensin (of the prince). Use the dative form prense when the prince is the indirect object of a verb, such as giving something to the prince. Use the accusative form prensi when the prince is the direct object of a specific verb that requires the accusative case.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of prens is /piˈɾens/. The sound is similar to the English words [p]an, cr[ee]k, AmE a[t]om, [n]ot and [s]end.
Did you know?
- In the Ottoman Empire, şehzades were historically confined to a special part of the palace called the Kafes or 'cage' to prevent them from plotting against the reigning sultan.
- The word şehzade comes from the Persian word şah for 'king' and zade for 'born of'. Literally, an Ottoman prince is someone who is 'king-born'.
- The suffix '-zade' in şehzade is common in many Turkish names and titles, acting as a way to denote descent or lineage.
Examples in context
- O, prense aşık oldu.She fell in love with a prince.This sentence is useful for showing the dative form of prens.Tatoeba #2466849 by duran, translation #2449389 by Hybrid
- Keşke bir prens olsam.I wish I were a prince.This sentence is useful for expressing a wish using prens.Tatoeba #1274273 by duran, translation #246623 by CK
- Prens o gün kral oldu.The prince became a king that day.This sentence is useful for describing a change in status using prens.Tatoeba #4855893 by deyta, translation #522615 by blay_paul
- O prensin tahtına oturacak.He will ascend to the prince's throne.
- Veliaht, halk tarafından seviliyor.The crown prince is beloved by the people.
- Amiral Bey'e gösterilen ilgi prens gibi.The attention shown to Admiral Bey is like that of a prince.
- Prens, güzel prensesinin elini öptü.The prince kissed his beautiful princess's hand.
- Taçlı adam, yeni koleksiyonunda ilhamını prenslerden aldı.The crowned man found inspiration from princes in his new collection.
- Veliaht, tahtın yüksek sorumluluğunu biliyor.The crown prince is aware of the high responsibility of the throne.
- 64 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zeynep and Can are discussing a history book about European royalty.
- ZeynepBu prens gerçekten çok gençmiş.This prince was really very young.
- CanEvet, babası kral olduğunda çocuktu.Yes, he was a child when his father became king.
- ZeynepSence prens mutlu muydu?Do you think the prince was happy?
- CanBilmiyorum, hayatı çok kısıtlıydı.I don't know, his life was very restricted.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prince” translations and entries prens, şehzade, 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 prens, şehzade, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
