pirinç
/piˈɾint͡ʃ/
The English word "rice" is translated into Turkish as pirinç, pilav or düğü.
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| pirinç | /piˈɾint͡ʃ/ |
| pilav | /piˈlɑv/ |
| düğü | /dyː/ (from spelling rules) |
In Turkish, the word you use depends on whether you are talking about the raw ingredient or the prepared meal. pirinç refers to the raw grain or the ingredient itself, and it is also used to refer to brass in specific technical or metallurgical contexts. pilav refers to the cooked rice dish that is served as a meal.
Which one should you use?
Use pirinç when referring to the raw grain. Use pilav when referring to the cooked rice dish served as a meal. The term düğü is also a form of the word for rice.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of pirinç is /piˈɾintʃ/. It sounds like the [p] in pan, the [ee] in creek, the [t] in American English atom, the [n] in not and the [ch] in change.
Did you know?
- Because pilav is a generic term for cooked rice, it can refer to versions containing bulgur, chickpeas or vermicelli, even if no actual 'rice' is present in the pot.
- In Turkish culture, pilav is not just a side dish but often the center of 'celebration' meals, such as those served during religious commemorations or weddings.
- The word pilav travelled a vast distance to reach Turkey, originating in Sanskrit and Dravidian languages of India before passing through Hindustani and Persian.
Examples in context
- O biraz pirinç aldı.He bought some rice.This sentence shows how to use pirinç to indicate someone bought some rice.Tatoeba #4044805 by maydoo, translation #4042336 by falekseev
- Kaç kase pilav yedin?How many bowls of rice did you eat?This sentence shows how to use pilav when asking about bowls of cooked rice.Tatoeba #4822965 by deyta, translation #1830622 by CK
- 300 gram pirinç pişir.Cook 2 Japanese cups of rice.This sentence shows how to use pirinç when giving a command to cook a specific amount of rice.Tatoeba #4465094 by duran, translation #2692361 by WestofEden
- Lütfen pirinçli bir yemek sipariş etmek istiyorum.I would like to order a dish with rice, please.
- Annem en güzel pilavı yapar.My mom makes the best rice pilaf.
- 238 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Mehmet are at a grocery store.
- MerveBir paket pirinç alalım mı?Shall we buy a package of rice?
- MehmetEvet, mutfakta hiç pirinç kalmamış.Yes, there is no rice left in the kitchen.
- MerveBaşka bir şeye ihtiyacımız var mı?Do we need anything else?
- MehmetHayır, sadece pirinç ve süt yeterli.No, just rice and milk are enough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries pirinç, pilav, 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 pilav, pirinç, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
