uyku
/ujˈku/
The English phrase 'sleep' is translated to Turkish as uyku.
uyku is used to refer to the state of reduced consciousness. To express the act of falling into a sleep, you would use the phrase uykuya dalmak.
Meaning: to rest in state of reduced consciousness (verb)
Which one should you use?
While uyku is the noun meaning 'sleep', the verb meaning 'to sleep' is uyumak.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun uyku is derived from the verb uyumak.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ujˈku/. The /u/ sound is like the 'oo' in c[oo]l, the /j/ sound is like the 'y' in [y]es and the /k/ sound is like the 'c' in [c]ore.
Did you know?
- The verb uyumak also means 'to be compatible' or 'to match'. For example, it is used to describe two colors that look good together or two people who get along well.
- Turkish speakers use the phrase uyku kaçmak, meaning 'sleep has escaped'. This describes the moment you suddenly wake up or cannot fall back asleep, as if the sleep itself ran away from you.
- In some Turkish contexts, the phrase uyku sersemi is used to describe that dazed, disoriented feeling one has immediately after waking up.
Examples in context
- İyi bir uyku aldım.I've had a good sleep.This sentence is useful for describing having had a good sleep using uyku.Tatoeba #586556 by deyta, translation #29915 by CK
- Uyku tutmadı mı Tom?Can't sleep, Tom?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is unable to sleep using uyku.Tatoeba #7125905 by soliloquist, translation #7125904 by soliloquist
- On saat uyku çektim.I got ten hours sleep.This sentence is useful for describing a specific duration of sleep using uyku.Tatoeba #13942939 by deyta, translation #13942478 by araneo
- Hoş geldiniz! Umarım iyi bir uyku geçirmişsinizdir.Welcome! I hope you had a good sleep.
- Lütfen sessiz olun, bebek uyuyor.Please be quiet, the baby is sleeping.
- Geçen gece çok geç uyudum.I slept very late last night.
- 284 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emre and Elif are talking in the morning.
- EmreGünaydın, uyku düzenin nasıl?Good morning, how is your sleep schedule?
- ElifÇok kötü, yeterince uyku alamadım.Very bad, I didn't get enough sleep.
- EmreBelki biraz daha uykuya ihtiyacın vardır.Maybe you need a bit more sleep.
- ElifEvet, derin bir uyku çekmek istiyorum.Yes, I want to have a deep sleep.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry uyku, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
