Meaning
Asking about an object.
Cultural Background
In a bazaar, asking 'Bu nedir?' is the start of a social contract. It often leads to a tasting, a story about the product's origin, and a negotiation. When visiting a Turkish home, if you ask 'Bu nedir?' about a family photo or an heirloom, it is seen as a sign of respect and interest in their history. Turks use 'Bu ne?' or 'Bu nedir?' as a comment on viral videos to express confusion or sarcasm, similar to 'What even is this?' in English. Using the full '-dir' suffix can sometimes make you sound more polite or educated in formal settings compared to the clipped 'Bu ne?'.
The Pointing Rule
Always point or look directly at the object. Turkish is a very visual language when it comes to demonstratives.
People are not Things
Never use 'nedir' for a person. It's the fastest way to sound rude.
Meaning
Asking about an object.
The Pointing Rule
Always point or look directly at the object. Turkish is a very visual language when it comes to demonstratives.
People are not Things
Never use 'nedir' for a person. It's the fastest way to sound rude.
The 'Ya' Addition
If you are frustrated, add 'ya' at the end: 'Bu nedir ya?!' (What is this even?!)
Test Yourself
Choose the correct question to ask about a book on your desk.
Masanın üstünde bir kitap var. ____?
Since a book is an object and it is close to you, 'Bu nedir?' is the correct choice.
Complete the question with the correct suffix.
Bu ne____?
According to 4-way vowel harmony, 'ne' ends in 'e', so the suffix must be '-dir'.
Complete the dialogue at the market.
Müşteri: Pardon, ____? Satıcı: Bu taze incir.
The customer is asking for the name of the fruit.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You see a strange animal in the park.
Animals are treated as 'ne' (what) in basic Turkish grammar.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesMasanın üstünde bir kitap var. ____?
Since a book is an object and it is close to you, 'Bu nedir?' is the correct choice.
Bu ne____?
According to 4-way vowel harmony, 'ne' ends in 'e', so the suffix must be '-dir'.
Müşteri: Pardon, ____? Satıcı: Bu taze incir.
The customer is asking for the name of the fruit.
You see a strange animal in the park.
Animals are treated as 'ne' (what) in basic Turkish grammar.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's just informal. It's perfectly fine for daily life, but 'Bu nedir?' is safer in formal contexts.
Yes, in Turkish, animals are generally referred to with 'ne' (what), though beloved pets might sometimes get a 'kim' (who).
If it's a shape in the dark, you can ask 'O ne?' or 'Kim o?'.
It's a suffix that means 'is'. It makes the sentence complete and formal.
Use the plural form: 'Bunlar nedir?'.
Yes, but it sounds more emphatic or surprised.
No, Turkish has no gender. 'Bu' works for everything.
'Bu' is for things you can touch. 'Şu' is for things you have to point at.
Start with 'Bu...' and then the name of the object. Example: 'Bu bir masa.'
Yes, many Turkish pop songs use 'Bu nedir?' to ask about love or a strange feeling.
Related Phrases
Bu kim?
similarWho is this?
Şu nedir?
similarWhat is that?
O nedir?
similarWhat is that (over there)?
Bu ne demek?
builds onWhat does this mean?
Bunun adı ne?
synonymWhat is the name of this?
Bu ne işe yarar?
specialized formWhat is this used for?
