maden suyu
/maːˈden su.ju/
The English phrase 'sparkling water' is translated into Turkish as maden suyu.
maden suyu refers to water that contains carbon dioxide bubbles, whether naturally occurring or added. In some contexts, you may also hear the word soda used to ask for carbonated water.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase maden suyu literally means 'mineral water'.
Which one should you use?
While maden suyu refers specifically to sparkling mineral water, the word soda is often used colloquially to refer to carbonated water, though it can also be confused with sugary soft drinks in other contexts. If you want sparkling water without any added fruit flavors, you should specify sade maden suyu, which means 'plain mineral water'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /maːˈden su.ju/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The sounds are similar to the English words [m]uch for /m/, [n]ot for /n/, [s]end for /s/, c[oo]l for /u/ and [y]es for /j/.
Did you know?
- In Turkey, maden suyu is frequently recommended as a digestive aid after a heavy meal rather than just a refreshing drink.
- The word maden is also the general Turkish word for 'mine' as in a place where minerals are extracted.
- While soda and maden suyu are used interchangeably, a soda is technically plain water carbonated by humans, whereas maden suyu is naturally carbonated.
Examples in context
- Bir bardak gazlı su/soda, lütfenOne glass of sparkling water/soda, please
- Bir şişe maden suyu alabilir miyim?Can I have a bottle of sparkling water?
- Maden suyu çok soğuk olsun.Let the sparkling water be very cold.
- Yemekten sonra maden suyu içerim.I drink sparkling water after the meal.
Example conversation
Selin and Mehmet are at a restaurant.
- SelinMehmet, ne içmek istersin?Mehmet, what would you like to drink?
- MehmetBen bir maden suyu alayım.I will have a sparkling water.
- SelinLimonlu mu olsun?Should it be with lemon?
- MehmetEvet, sade değil limonlu olsun.Yes, let it be with lemon, not plain.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry maden suyu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
