Meaning
Talking about a family member's job
Cultural Background
Doctors are often called 'Həkim bəy' (for men) or 'Həkim xanım' (for women) as a sign of high respect, even outside the hospital. While the phrase is almost identical, in Turkey 'Doktor' is more common in urban areas, while 'Hekim' sounds slightly more traditional or formal. In Azerbaijan, medical education is long and rigorous. Having a doctor in the family is seen as a 'safety net' for all relatives. In villages, the local doctor is a community leader. Saying your mother is the doctor gives you significant social standing.
Vowel Harmony
Remember that '-dir' changes to '-dur', '-dür', or '-dır' based on the last vowel of the profession.
No 'a' needed
Don't say 'Anam bir həkimdir'. It sounds like you're translating directly from English.
Meaning
Talking about a family member's job
Vowel Harmony
Remember that '-dir' changes to '-dur', '-dür', or '-dır' based on the last vowel of the profession.
No 'a' needed
Don't say 'Anam bir həkimdir'. It sounds like you're translating directly from English.
Sound Native
Drop the 'r' in '-dir' when speaking casually: 'Anam həkimdi'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct suffix for 'is'.
Anam həkim___.
The third-person singular suffix for 'is' following 'i' is '-dir'.
Which sentence means 'My mother is a doctor'?
Select the correct Azerbaijani translation.
'Anam' = My mother, 'həkimdir' = is a doctor.
Match the Azerbaijani words to their English meanings.
Match the following:
These are the building blocks of the phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Sənin anan nəçidir? B: ________.
The question asks for the mother's job, so the answer should state her profession.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesAnam həkim___.
The third-person singular suffix for 'is' following 'i' is '-dir'.
Select the correct Azerbaijani translation.
'Anam' = My mother, 'həkimdir' = is a doctor.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are the building blocks of the phrase.
A: Sənin anan nəçidir? B: ________.
The question asks for the mother's job, so the answer should state her profession.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsNo, 'həkim' is gender-neutral in Azerbaijani. It applies to both men and women.
Yes, 'doktor' is also used and understood, but 'həkim' is the more traditional Azerbaijani word.
Azerbaijani uses the suffix '-dir' instead of a separate verb like 'is'.
You would say 'Anam həkim idi'.
No, it's a very common and polite question in Azerbaijani culture.
Related Phrases
Atam mühəndisdir
similarMy father is an engineer
Anam müəllimdir
similarMy mother is a teacher
Həkim çağırmaq
builds onTo call a doctor
Ailə həkimi
specialized formFamily doctor
