ne
/nɛ/
The English word "what" is translated into Turkish as ne.
The primary use of ne is as an interrogative pronoun to ask "what". It can also function as an interjection to express surprise. Additionally, the related phrase ne kadar is used to begin exclamations.
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Which one should you use?
While ne is the standard form for asking "what", you should use the plural form neler when you are asking about a variety of things or a list of items rather than a single object. To express skepticism or to ask what something is claimed to be, you can use the form neymiş, which adds the hearsay suffix.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When ne serves as the direct object of a transitive verb that requires the accusative case, it changes to the form neyi.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ne is /nɛ/. The [n] sound is like the [n] in the English word "not".
Did you know?
- The word ne shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'neither', which can be confusing because in some historical contexts, the same spelling represented the negation 'not' instead of the question 'what'.
- In Chuvash, a Turkic language, the word for 'what' is mĕn, which resulted from a linguistic flip called metathesis of the original root.
- The form neymiş allows a speaker to ask 'what' while simultaneously signaling that they are quoting someone else's claim.
Examples in context
- O da ne öyle?What the fuck is that?This sentence shows how ne can be used in a frustrated or emphatic way.Tatoeba #5197662 by duran, translation #1745828 by Spamster
- O ne iş yapar?What does she do?This sentence uses ne to ask about someone's occupation.Tatoeba #1254817 by duran, translation #311873 by CK
- Bu ne o zaman?What is it then?This sentence uses ne to clarify a situation.Tatoeba #3409517 by deyta, translation #2803094 by Ealdwimor
- Size bir şey sorabilir miyim?Can I ask you something?
- Ne istersiniz?What do you want?
- Bu filmi izledin mi?Did you watch this movie?
- 14245 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mehmet and Merve are at a cafe.
- MehmetNe içmek istersin?What would you like to drink?
- MerveBir çay alabilir miyim?Can I have a tea?
- MehmetTamam, hemen getiriyorum.Okay, I'm bringing it right away.
- MerveTeşekkür ederim, Mehmet.Thank you, Mehmet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries ne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
