sessiz
/ses.ˈsiz/
The English phrase "quiet" translates to Turkish as sessiz.
The adjective sessiz is used to describe something or someone with little sound. To tell someone to be quiet, you use the adjective sessiz followed by the verb ol (be) to form the command Sessiz ol!
Meaning: with little sound (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word sessiz is composed of ses (sound) and the suffix -siz (without). Literally, it translates to "soundless" or "without sound".
Which one should you use?
While the adjective sessiz means quiet or silent, the related noun sessizlik refers to the state of silence itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal or literary contexts, you can use the noun sükût to refer to silence. To express being calm or serene in a formal way, use dingin. If you want to say "take it easy" or "calm down" colloquially, use the expression Rahat ol.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The first sound is like the [s] in "send", the second sound is like the [ee] in "creek" and the final sound is like the [z] in "zone".
Did you know?
- To describe a sea that is perfectly calm and quiet, Turkish uses the poetic word sütliman, which literally means 'milky harbor'.
- In Turkish, calling someone sessiz often implies they are shy or introverted, rather than just referring to the volume of their voice.
- While sessiz means 'quiet', the word sessiz is also used as a specific technical term in Turkish for 'silent films', known as sessiz sinema.
Examples in context
- O sessiz bir kadınShe is a quiet woman.This sentence is useful for describing a quiet woman using sessiz.Tatoeba #1267173 by duran, translation #312733 by CK
- O sessiz bir kişi.She's a quiet person.This sentence is useful for describing a quiet person using sessiz.Tatoeba #1267409 by duran, translation #521613 by CK
- Sessiz ol ve dinle!Be quiet and listen!This sentence is useful for giving the command to be quiet using sessiz.Tatoeba #603613 by duran, translation #507707 by FeuDRenais
- Sessiz olun.Be quiet.
- Sükunetini koru.Keep your calm.
- Dingin bir ortamda çalışmak istiyorum.I want to work in a quiet (calm) environment.
- Sus ya!Be quiet, okay?
- Rahat ol da biraz sessiz olalım.Just take it easy and let's be quiet for a bit.
- 497 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Can are sitting in a cafe.
- SelinBurası çok sessiz, değil mi Can?It is very quiet here, isn't it Can?
- CanEvet, Selin, çalışmak için harika.Yes, Selin, it is great for working.
- SelinBen de sessiz yerleri severim.I like quiet places too.
- CanBen de öyle düşünüyorum.I think so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quiet” translations and entries sessiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
