Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| havlu | /hɑvɫu/ |
| peşkir | /peʃciɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
The word havlu refers to a cloth used for wiping. You can use specific compound nouns to describe different types of towels: el havlusu for a hand towel, yüz havlusu for a face towel and banyo havlusu for a bath towel.
Which one should you use?
While havlu is the standard word for any towel, peşkir refers specifically to a traditional, often thin or patterned towel used in older contexts or bathhouses.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Black Sea region, the word peşkir may be used to refer to a smaller-sized towel.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the plural of havlu, add the plural suffix -lar to get havlular. The genitive form of havlu, used to show possession, is havlunun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /hɑvɫu/. The sound of h is like the [h] in home, the v is like the [v] in vase and the u is like the [oo] in cool.
Did you know?
- The term havlu is used in the Turkish idiom havlu atmak, which means 'to throw in the towel' or to give up, mirroring the English boxing metaphor.
- In traditional Turkish hamams (bathhouses), a peşkir is not just for drying but is often wrapped around the body as a modest garment during the bathing process.
- The word peşkir comes from the Persian word pêš-gir, which literally means 'something that goes before' or 'fore-taker'.
Examples in context
- Bana bir havlu ver.Hand me a towel.This sentence is useful for requesting a towel using the form havlu.Tatoeba #2984573 by duran, translation #2984189 by CK
- Bana bir havlu getir.Get me a towel.This sentence is useful for asking someone to bring a towel using the form havlu.Tatoeba #2003321 by duran, translation #568618 by CM
- Bana bir havlu verin.Give me a towel.Tatoeba #5069133 by duran, translation #5068928 by AlanF_US
- Havlu lütfen.Towel, please.
- 112 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Emre are preparing to go to the beach.
- MerveEmre, yanına havlu aldın mı?Emre, did you take a towel with you?
- EmreEvet, çantamda bir tane var.Yes, I have one in my bag.
- MerveBenimki çok küçük, yeni bir tane almalıyım.Mine is very small, I should buy a new one.
- EmreEve uğrayıp hemen alabiliriz.We can stop by the house and get it immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “towel” translations and entries havlu, peşkir, 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 havlu, peşkir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
