Talking About FamilyAile Hakkında Konuşma
Fatma and Hasan compare their families: brothers and sisters, a little nephew, and what their parents do for a living.
Speakers: Fatma (a university friend), Hasan (a university friend)
The Dialogue
Read each Turkish line aloud, then check the English. Hide the translation to test yourself.
- Fatma
Hasan, senin ailen kalabalık mı?
Hasan, is your family big?
- Hasan
Evet, biraz kalabalık. Bir abim ve iki kız kardeşim var.
Yes, fairly big. I have an older brother and two sisters.
- Fatma
Ne güzel! Benim sadece bir ablam var.
How nice! I only have an older sister.
- Hasan
Ablan kaç yaşında?
How old is your sister?
- Fatma
Yirmi sekiz yaşında. Evli ve küçük bir oğlu var.
She's twenty-eight. She's married and has a little boy.
- Hasan
Yani sen teyzesin!
So you're an aunt!
- Fatma
Evet! Onun adı Emir. Çok tatlı bir çocuk.
Yes! His name is Emir. He's a really sweet kid.
- Hasan
Annen ve baban ne iş yapıyor?
What do your mom and dad do?
- Fatma
Annem öğretmen, babam mühendis. Seninkiler ne iş yapıyor?
My mom is a teacher and my dad is an engineer. What do yours do?
- Hasan
Annem ev hanımı. Babamın küçük bir dükkânı var.
My mom is a homemaker. My dad has a small shop.
Key Vocabulary
| Turkish | English |
|---|---|
| kalabalık | big (family), crowded |
| abi | older brother |
| abla | older sister |
| kız kardeş | sister (usually younger) |
| evli | married |
| oğul (oğlu) | son (her son) |
| teyze | aunt (mother's sister) |
| mühendis | engineer |
| ev hanımı | homemaker, housewife |
| dükkân | shop, store |
Grammar & Culture Notes
Grammar
Having: …-im var
To say 'I have', Turkish uses a possessive ending plus var (there is): bir abim var (I have an older brother), babamın bir dükkânı var (my dad has a shop). For 'I don't have', use yok: kardeşim yok.
Culture
Words for siblings and aunts
Turkish shows age and family side. Abi and abla are older siblings; kardeş is usually younger. Your mother's sister is teyze, your father's sister hala; your mother's brother is dayı, your father's brother amca. Fatma is Emir's teyze because she is his mother's sister.
Grammar
Jobs without 'a'
With jobs, Turkish usually leaves out bir: Annem öğretmen (My mom is a teacher), Babam mühendis. Annem bir öğretmen is possible but less common.
Check Your Understanding
1. Hasan'ın kaç kardeşi var?
How many siblings does Hasan have?
Show answer
Üç kardeşi var: bir abisi ve iki kız kardeşi.
Three: an older brother and two sisters.
2. Fatma'nın ablası kaç yaşında?
How old is Fatma's sister?
Show answer
Yirmi sekiz yaşında.
Twenty-eight.
3. Fatma'nın annesi ne iş yapıyor?
What does Fatma's mother do?
Show answer
Öğretmen.
She is a teacher.