neden
/neˈdæn/
In Turkish, "why" can be expressed using neden, niçin or niye.
Meaning: (interrogative) for what reason (adv)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| neden | /neˈdæn/ |
| niçin | /ˈniː.t͡ʃin/ |
| niye | /nije/ |
These terms are used as interrogative adverbs to ask for the reason or cause behind something. Neden is a common and versatile way to express "why" in most situations.
What does it mean word for word?
The word neden literally means "the reason" in Turkish.
Which one should you use?
While neden is a standard way to ask why, niçin is often perceived as more formal or literary. Niye is a more colloquial and informal variant used in casual speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Istanbul and western Turkey, the informal expression ne diye is used to mean "for what reason".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /neˈdæn/. The /n/ sound is like the [n] in "not" and the /æ/ sound is like the [a] in "cat".
Did you know?
- Turkish shares a deep linguistic link with Central Asian languages through niye, which is cognate with the Kazakh word nege and the Tatar word niyä.
- In casual speech, niye can sometimes be used to express mild annoyance or disbelief, functioning more like 'how on earth' than a neutral question.
- While neden is used to ask 'why', it also functions as a noun meaning 'the reason' or 'the cause' in a statement.
Examples in context
- Göl neden o renk?Why is the lake that color?This sentence uses neden to ask about a color.Tatoeba #13464740 by deyta, translation #13463522 by rul
- Neden üç tane var?Why are there three?This sentence uses neden to ask about a quantity.Tatoeba #3019412 by duran, translation #2892889 by CK
- O neden iyi değil?Why isn't that good?This sentence uses neden to ask about quality.Tatoeba #4698422 by duran, translation #4494787 by CK
- Neden bu kararı aldınız?Why did you make this decision?
- Niçin bu projeyi onayladınız?Why did you approve this project?
- Sebep nedir?What is the reason?
- Niye öyle düşünüyorsun?Why do you think that way?
- Ne diye bu kadar geç kaldınız?Why were you so late?
- Ne için bu tavsiyede bulundunuz?Why did you give this advice?
- 11282 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emre and Merve are talking about a cancelled meeting.
- EmreToplantı neden iptal oldu?Why was the meeting cancelled?
- MerveMüdür bugün hasta olduğu için.Because the manager is sick today.
- EmreNeden bize haber vermediler?Why didn't they let us know?
- MerveSanırım herkes unuttu.I think everyone forgot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations and entries neden, niçin, niye, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries neden, niye, niçin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
