Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| kız kardeş | /kɯz kaɾdeʃ/ (from spelling rules) | |
| abla | /abla/ (from spelling rules) | |
| bacı | /bɑˈd͡ʒɯ/ | |
| hemşire | /hemʃiɾe/ (from spelling rules) | archaic |
| simil | /simil/ (from spelling rules) | |
| kardeş | /kaɾˈdeʃ/ /kaɾˈdaʃ/ |
|
| aba | /ɑbɑ/ | colloquial, humorous |
While kız kardeş is the neutral term for a sister, you use abla specifically for an older sister. The word kardeş is a gender-neutral term meaning sibling, which can refer to either a brother or a sister.
What does it mean word for word?
The term kız kardeş is a combination of kız, meaning girl and kardeş, meaning sibling.
Which one should you use?
Use abla specifically for an older sister, whereas kız kardeş is the neutral term for any sister.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Abla is often used as a respectful way to address a woman who is slightly older than you, even if she is not a biological sister. Other forms include the archaic hemşire, the colloquial and humorous aba and the term bacı.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "my older sister", add the possessive suffix -ım to abla to get ablam. To say "my sister", add the possessive suffix -im to kız kardeş to get kız kardeşim. Additionally, kardeşim translates to "my sibling" and can be used for both older and younger sisters.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of kız kardeş is /kɯz kaɾdeʃ/. The /k/ is like the [c] in core, the /ɯ/ is somewhat like the [o] in ribbon, the /z/ is like the [z] in zone, the /ɾ/ is like the [t] in American English atom and the /ʃ/ is like the [sh] in shoe.
Did you know?
- The word kardeş for sibling literally means 'womb-mate', coming from the word karın for 'womb' and the suffix -daş for 'sharing'.
- While kız kardeş is the standard term for a sister, the word hemşire is a historical form that is no longer used for a female sibling and instead means 'nurse' in modern Turkish.
- The term bacı is often used in certain regions or specific social contexts to mean 'sister', but it can also carry a more traditional or formal tone than kız kardeş.
Examples in context
- O, kız kardeşin mi?Is she your sister?This sentence is useful for asking if a woman is someone's kız kardeş.Tatoeba #4398021 by deyta, translation #310274 by CK
- Tom ve ben kardeşiz.Tom and I are brother and sister.This sentence shows how to use kardeş to describe a brother and sister relationship.Tatoeba #2991022 by duran, translation #8854591 by CK
- Ama ablam iyi yüzer.But my older sister is good at swimming.This sentence demonstrates how to use abla to refer to an older sister.Tatoeba #4027483 by deyta, translation #53623 by Dejo
- Hoş geldin, abla!Welcome, sister!
- 1192 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Elif are talking about their families in a cafe.
- CanKaç tane kız kardeşin var?How many sisters do you have?
- ElifBir tane kız kardeşim var.I have one sister.
- CanOnun adı nedir?What is her name?
- ElifOnun adı Ayşe.Her name is Ayşe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries kız kardeş, abla, bacı, hemşire, kardeş, aba, 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 aba, abla, bacı, kardeş, kız, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
