damat
/daːˈmat/
The Turkish word for son-in-law is damat. Wiktionary also lists güvey and güveyi.
Meaning: son-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| damat | /daːˈmat/ /daː.maːˈdɯ/ |
| güvey | /ɟyvej/ (from spelling rules) |
| güveyi | /ɟyveji/ (from spelling rules) |
damat is used to refer to a son-in-law, specifically the husband of one's daughter or son. It is also the common word used for a 'groom' at a wedding.
Which one should you use?
damat is the standard term. güvey is an older or more regional term for son-in-law, often used in specific Anatolian dialects or older literature.
Is it said differently in some regions?
güvey is used in specific Anatolian dialects and is considered a more regional term.
How does it change in a sentence?
When damat is the direct object of a verb, such as in the sentence 'I saw the son-in-law', it changes to damadı.
How do you pronounce it?
/daːˈmat/. The 'm' sound is like the 'm' in [m]uch.
Did you know?
- The English word 'gamete' is a distant linguistic relative of the Turkish damat. Both words trace back to the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to marry'.
- In some traditional Anatolian settings, a damat may be expected to perform specific chores or services for his father-in-law to prove his worth to the family.
- While damat is the standard term, the word güvey connects Turkish to a wide family of Turkic languages. You can see similar sounds in the Uzbek word 'kuyov' and the Azerbaijani 'giyəv'.
Examples in context
- Yeni damat çok kibar biri.The new son-in-law is a very polite person.
- Damat bugün bize gelecek.The son-in-law is coming to see us today.
Example conversation
Selin and Can are talking about a family wedding at home.
- SelinDamat çok yakışıklı görünüyor.The son-in-law looks very handsome.
- CanEvet, Selin, gerçekten öyle.Yes, Selin, he really is.
- SelinOnunla tanışmak için sabırsızlanıyorum.I am looking forward to meeting him.
- CanO da seninle tanışmak isteyecektir.He will want to meet you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son-in-law” translations and entries damat, güveyi, 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 damat, güveyi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
