oturmak vs ikamet etmek
Turkish word comparison
Listen to oturmak
Listen to ikamet etmek
| oturmak | ikamet etmek |
|---|---|
/o-tur-MAK/ verb | /ih-KAH-met et-MEK/ verb |
| to sit; to live/reside (in a place); to stay in a position | to reside; to live (formal/legal sense) |
How they differ
Ikamet etmek is a formal/administrative verb used to indicate someone's registered or official place of residence and cannot mean 'to sit down', whereas oturmak is general and used in everyday speech for both 'to sit' and 'to live'.
When to use each
When to use oturmak: Prefer oturmak when speaking informally about sitting or where someone lives in everyday conversation.
When to use ikamet etmek: Prefer ikamet etmek in formal writing, on official forms, or when referring to a legally registered residence.
Side-by-side examples
- Ben İstanbul'da oturuyorum.
(I live in Istanbul.) - Nüfus kayıtlarına göre o adreste ikamet ediyor.
(According to the population registry, he/she resides at that address.)
Register & nuance: Ikamet etmek is formal/administrative (common in documents); oturmak is neutral to colloquial.