Learn Animal Names in Turkish: Pets, Birds, Sea Creatures, and Wild Animals
Aren’t animals your best friends too? Their gazes, fur, playfulness, unique behaviors, and their communication with humans fill a huge void in our lives, don’t they?
If you want to learn the names of animals, some body parts, and animal-related sayings in Turkish, you’re in the right place!
As can be seen on social media lately, Istanbul stands out as a city dominated by cats. This phenomenon is not limited to our time but dates back centuries. Similarly, the love for animals in Turkey is not restricted to a single species but extends to all animals living in the region. For centuries, humans and animals have shared the same environment in Turkish geography, making it impossible to separate the two, both socially and culturally. This situation is not only a result of sociocultural factors but also stems from economic, religious, and belief diversity. In this regard, we are sure that Turkey’s historical and natural beauty, as well as its living beauty, will captivate you, and we are honored to accompany you on this journey!
When it comes to animals, Turkish vocabulary shares many words with English. We are confident that you won’t struggle with these words. At the same time, we are happy to say that you will encounter many words with similar pronunciations.
- Pets
- Birds
- Farm Animals
- Sea Animals
- Wild Animals
- Reptiles and Amphibians
- Bugs and Insects
- Animal Body Parts in Turkish
- Animal-Related Verbs and Expressions
Table of Contents
The One Paw to Rule Them All!
To make your learning process easier, we have categorized animals based on their environment or physical characteristics:
Pets
- Cat: Kedi
- Dog: Köpek
- Bird: Kuş
- Fish: Balık
- Rabbit: Tavşan
- Hamster: Hamster
- Turtle: Kaplumbağa
Birds
- Owl: Baykuş
- Seagull: Martı
- Crow: Karga
- Raven: Kuzgun
- Woodpecker: Ağaçkakan
- Dove: Kuğu
- Eagle: Kartal
- Pigeon: Güvercin
- Parrot: Papağan
- Stork: Leylek
Farm Animals
- Horse: At
- Pig: Domuz
- Goose: Kaz
- Sheep: Koyun
- Goat: Keçi
- Rooster: Horoz
- Cow: İnek
- Donkey: Eşek
Sea Animals
- Whale: Balina
- Seahorse: Denizatı
- Crab: Yengeç
- Octopus: Ahtapot
- Lobster:
- Shrimp: Karides
- Shark: Köpekbalığı
- Dolphin: Yunus
Wild Animals
- Lion: Aslan
- Tiger: Kaplan
- Deer: Geyik
- Bear: Ayı
- Monkey: Maymun
- Leopard: Leopar
- Elephant: Fil
- Wolf: Kurt
- Zebra: Zebra
- Giraffe: Zürafa
- Fox: Tilki
Reptiles and Amphibians
- Frog: Kurbağa
- Crocodile: Timsah
- Snake: Yılan
- Lizard: Kertenkele
- Chameleon: Bukalemun
Bugs and Insects
- Bee: Arı
- Grasshopper: Çekirge
- Ant: Karınca
- Butterfly: Kelebek
- Firefly: Ateş böceği
- Silkworm: İpek böceği
- Fly: Sinek
- Spider: Örümcek
- Mosquito: Sivrisinek
- Ladybug: Uğur böceği
Animal Body Parts in Turkish
- Trunk: Hortum (filler için) / Gövde (ağaç için)
- Horn: Boynuz
- Wing: Kanat
- Beak: Gaga
- Feather: Tüy
- Tail: Kuyruk
- Paw: Pati
- Claw: Pençe
- Fur: Kürk / Tüy (hayvanların vücudunu kaplayan yumuşak tüyler)
Animal-Related Verbs and Expressions
Learning idioms and slang expressions in foreign languages is a lot of fun! In Turkish, there are many expressions and animal-related verbs. As we mentioned, the interaction between humans and animals holds an important place in Turkish culture, and this is also reflected in daily life. Here are some examples:
- To bite: Isırmak
- To bark: Havlamak
- To roar: Kükremek
- To meow: Miyavlamak
- To claw: Tırmalamak
- To pet: Okşamak / Sevgi göstermek
- To buzz: Vızıldamak
- To lick: Yalamak
- To tame: Evcilleştirmek
- To gallop: Dörtnala koşmak
- To feed: Beslemek
- To vaccinate: Aşılamak
- To train: Eğitmek
In addition to the examples we’ve provided, there are many other concepts and terms related to animals in Turkish. In this regard, exploring the richness of Turkish vocabulary and learning more about animals will be an exciting journey!