ara
ara in 30 Seconds
- A versatile noun meaning break, interval, or gap.
- Used for physical space between objects (e.g., between two trees).
- Used for temporal pauses (e.g., school recess or commercial breaks).
- Describes social relationships (e.g., 'our relationship is good').
- Temporal Interval
- This refers to a pause in an activity. For example, 'reklam arası' means a commercial break during a television program. It implies a temporary cessation before the main event resumes.
- Physical Space
- This denotes the gap or distance between two physical objects. If you are standing between two trees, you are in the 'ara' of those trees. This is often seen in the possessive form 'arasinda'.
- Social Relationship
- In Turkish culture, the quality of a relationship is described by the state of the 'ara'. Saying 'Arası iyi' means their relationship is good (literally, their 'between' is good).
Şimdi kısa bir ara veriyoruz ve sonra devam ediyoruz.
İki bina arasındaki ara çok dar.
Onunla aramız bozuldu.
- Abstract Intervals
- In music or literature, 'ara' can refer to an interlude or a chapter break, marking a transition from one state to another.
- The Possessive Construction
- To say 'between us', you say 'aramızda'. Here, 'ara' takes the possessive '-mız' (our) and the locative '-da' (in). Similarly, 'onların arası' means 'the relationship between them'. This is a vital pattern for expressing social dynamics.
Ders arasında kantine gittik.
Bu aralar çok meşgulüm.
- Compound Nouns
- 'Ara öğün' means snack (literally 'interval meal'). 'Ara durak' means intermediate stop. These compounds show how 'ara' modifies other nouns to indicate something that happens in between main events.
Öğle yemeğinden sonra bir ara öğün yerim.
Maçın devre arasında çay içtik.
- At the Movies or Theater
- During a long film or play, an announcement will say 'On beş dakika ara' (Fifteen-minute intermission). This is the signal for the audience to stretch their legs.
- In Sports Broadcasting
- Commentators constantly use 'devre arası' (half-time) or 'müsabaka arası'. They might discuss the tactics used in the 'ara'.
Filmin arasında mısır aldım.
Annemle babamın arası bugünlerde çok iyi.
Televizyonda çok uzun bir reklam arası var.
- Daily Errands
- If you are looking for a specific shop, someone might tell you 'İki mağaza arasındaki boşlukta' (In the gap between the two stores). Here 'ara' defines the physical location.
- Ara vs. Mola
- While often interchangeable, 'mola' specifically refers to a rest stop (like a truck stop on a highway) or a pause in physical labor. 'Ara' is more general and can refer to any interval, including time between classes or the space between objects. Using 'mola' for the gap between two buildings would be incorrect; you must use 'ara'.
Yanlış: İki ağaç molası. (Wrong usage for physical space)
Doğru: Kitap masanın arasında. (The book is between the table - implies between the table's parts or two tables).
- Confusion with 'Mesafe'
- 'Mesafe' means distance in a measurable sense (kilometers, meters). 'Ara' is more about the existence of a gap. If you want to say 'The distance is long', use 'mesafe'. If you want to say 'There is a gap here', use 'ara'.
- Mola
- Specifically used for a rest break. If you are hiking and stop to breathe, that is a 'mola'. 'Ara' is more structural (like the interval between two halves of a game).
- Boşluk
- This means 'emptiness' or 'void'. While 'ara' is the space *between* things, 'boşluk' is the absence of anything. If a tooth is missing, the space is a 'boşluk'. If there is space between two teeth, that is an 'ara'.
- Mesafe
- Refers to linear distance. 'Aramızdaki mesafe' means the physical distance between us. 'Aramızdaki ara' is not used; you'd just say 'aramız'.
- Teneffüs
- A specific word for school recess. While 'ara' is used in universities and offices, 'teneffüs' is the nostalgic word for K-12 school breaks.
Öğrenciler teneffüste top oynuyorlar.
Onunla aramızdaki ilişki çok profesyonel.
- Aralık
- This is a noun derived from 'ara'. It means 'gap' or 'slot'. It is also the word for the month 'December' (the gap between years). 'Kapıyı aralık bırak' means 'Leave the door ajar'.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The word 'Aralık' (December) comes from 'ara' because it was seen as the 'gap' or 'interval' between the old year and the new year in some traditional calendars.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing the 'r' like an English 'r' (retroflex). It should be a quick tap of the tongue.
- Making the first 'a' too long.
Difficulty Rating
Very easy to recognize in text as a short, frequent word.
Requires knowledge of possessive suffixes when used as 'between'.
Easy to pronounce, but must distinguish from the verb 'aramak'.
Clear sound, but watch for rapid speech where suffixes blend.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Noun Compounds
Öğle + arası = Öğle arası (Lunch break)
Possessive Suffixe
Examples by Level
Ders arasında elma yedim.
I ate an apple during the lesson break.
'Ders arası' is a noun compound; 'arasında' adds the locative case.
İki ev arasında bir bahçe var.
There is a garden between two houses.
'Arasında' acts as a postposition meaning 'between'.
Haydi, bir ara verelim.
Let's take a break.
'Ara vermek' is a common verb phrase meaning 'to take a break'.
Ara sıra sinemaya giderim.
I go to the cinema occasionally.
'Ara sıra' is an adverbial phrase meaning 'sometimes' or 'occasionally'.
Bu ara çok meşgulüm.
I am very busy these days.
'Bu ara' (or 'bu aralar') refers to the recent period of time.
Okulda on dakika ara var.
There is a ten-minute break at school.
Simple usage of 'ara' as a noun meaning 'break'.
Kedi iki koltuk arasında uyuyor.
The cat is sleeping between two armchairs.
'Arasında' indicates the physical location between two objects.
Öğle arası saat kaçta?
What time is the lunch break?
'Öğle arası' means 'lunch break'.
Onunla aram çok iyi.
I am on very good terms with him/her.
'Aram' uses the 1st person singular possessive suffix to describe a relationship.
Televizyonda uzun bir reklam arası var.
There is a long commercial break on TV.
'Reklam arası' is a standard term for commercials.
Bu aralar hava çok soğuk.
The weather is very cold these days.
'Bu aralar' is the plural form used for 'lately'.
Aramızda kalsın, bu bir sır.
Let it stay between us; this is a secret.
'Aramızda' means 'between us'.
İki şehir arasındaki mesafe çok uzun.
The distance between the two cities is very long.
'Arasındaki' uses the '-ki' suffix to make 'between' an adjective.
Maçın devre arasında çay içtik.
We drank tea during the half-time of the match.
'Devre arası' specifically means 'half-time' in sports.
Lütfen kapıyı biraz ara bırak.
Please leave the door ajar (a little open).
'Ara bırakmak' can mean to leave a gap.
Derslerin arası çok kısa.
The intervals between lessons are very short.
Plural 'derslerin' with possessive 'arası'.
Araya girmek istemem ama bir sorum var.
I don't want to interrupt, but I have a question.
'Araya girmek' literally means 'to enter into the gap', meaning to interrupt.
Eski arkadaşımla arayı açtık.
My old friend and I have lost touch (increased the distance).
'Arayı açmak' is an idiom for losing contact or increasing distance.
İki konu arasında bir bağlantı var mı?
Is there a connection between the two subjects?
Abstract use of 'arasında' for logical connections.
Bu işe biraz ara vermelisin, çok yoruldun.
You should take a break from this work; you are very tired.
The dative case 'işe' is used with 'ara vermek'.
Arada bir uğra, seni özlüyoruz.
Stop by every now and then; we miss you.
'Arada bir' is a common phrase for 'occasionally'.
İki bina arasındaki boşluk çok dar.
The gap between the two buildings is very narrow.
Combining 'ara' and 'boşluk' for physical precision.
Seninle onun arasını kim bulacak?
Who will mediate between you and him?
'Arasını bulmak' means to mediate or find a compromise.
Bu aralar kendimi pek iyi hissetmiyorum.
I haven't been feeling very well lately.
'Bu aralar' functions as a temporal adverb.
Aramızdaki sorunları konuşarak çözebiliriz.
We can solve the problems between us by talking.
'Aramızdaki' modifies 'sorunları' (the problems that are between us).
Yazar, bölümler arasında merak uyandırıyor.
The author creates curiosity between the chapters.
'Bölümler arasında' refers to the transitions in a book.
Çalışmalarımıza hiç ara vermeden devam ettik.
We continued our work without taking any breaks.
'Ara vermeden' means 'without giving a break'.
İki seçenek arasında kalmak çok zor.
It is very hard to be stuck between two options.
'Arasında kalmak' is an idiom for being indecisive.
Arayı soğutmadan tekrar buluşalım.
Let's meet again before too much time passes (without cooling the interval).
'Arayı soğutmak' means to let a long time pass between interactions.
Bu iki renk arasındaki farkı göremiyorum.
I cannot see the difference between these two colors.
'Arasındaki' used for comparison.
Hükümet, görüşmelere ara verildiğini açıkladı.
The government announced that the talks have been paused.
Passive construction 'ara verildiğini' in a formal context.
Araştırmalar, iki olay arasında bir ilişki bulamadı.
Research found no relationship between the two events.
Formal usage in a scientific context.
Aradaki buzları eritmek için bir akşam yemeği yedik.
We had dinner to melt the ice between us.
'Aradaki buzları eritmek' is a metaphor for reconciling.
Toplantı sırasında araya girip fikrini söyledi.
He interrupted during the meeting and stated his opinion.
'Araya girmek' used for social interruption.
İki nesil arasındaki uçurum her geçen gün büyüyor.
The gap between the two generations is growing every day.
'Nesil arası' refers to the generation gap.
Bu kadar aradan sonra seni görmek ne güzel!
How nice to see you after such a long time (interval)!
'Aradan sonra' refers to a long period of absence.
Araya birileri girmese bu iş çoktan biterdi.
If some people hadn't intervened, this job would have been finished long ago.
Hypothetical condition with 'araya girmek'.
Onunla arayı düzeltmek için çok uğraştım.
I tried very hard to fix the relationship with him.
'Arayı düzeltmek' means to reconcile.
Aralıksız yağan yağmur hayatı felç etti.
The continuous (uninterrupted) rain paralyzed life.
'Aralıksız' is an adverb derived from 'ara' meaning 'constantly'.
İki düşünce arasındaki ince çizgiyi fark etmelisin.
You must notice the fine line between the two thoughts.
Metaphorical use of 'arasındaki'.
Metindeki ara sözler ana fikri destekliyor.
The parenthetical remarks (intermediate words) in the text support the main idea.
'Ara söz' is a linguistic term for a parenthetical expression.
Araya giden onca emek boşa çıktı.
All that effort that went to waste (lost in the gap) was for nothing.
'Araya gitmek' means to be wasted or lost.
İki kavram arasındaki diyalektik ilişkiyi inceledik.
We examined the dialectical relationship between the two concepts.
Highly academic usage of 'arasındaki'.
Arayı fazla soğutursak müşteri kaybedebiliriz.
If we wait too long (cool the interval too much), we might lose customers.
Business metaphor using 'arayı soğutmak'.
Toplumun ara katmanları bu değişimden en çok etkilenenler oldu.
The middle layers (intermediate strata) of society were most affected by this change.
Sociological term 'ara katman'.
Yazarın üslubunda satır arası mesajlar gizli.
There are messages hidden between the lines in the author's style.
'Satır arası' means 'between the lines'.
Aramızdaki hukuk çok eskiye dayanıyor.
The bond (legal/moral standing) between us goes back a long way.
Formal/Archaic use of 'hukuk' with 'ara'.
Bu ara rejim döneminde birçok hak askıya alındı.
During this interim regime period, many rights were suspended.
Political term 'ara rejim'.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
Idioms & Expressions
— To be very close friends (literally, no water can leak between them).
Onların aralarından su sızmaz.
informal— To have a falling out or relationship trouble (literally, a black cat entered between them).
Aralarına kara kedi girdi.
informal— To act as a matchmaker or reconcile two people.
Onların arasını ben yaptım.
informal— To be stuck between two difficult choices or people.
Annesiyle eşi arasında kaldı.
neutral— To be lost or forgotten amidst other things.
Benim sorum araya kaynadı.
slang/informal— To isolate oneself from the world.
Kitap yazarken dünya ile arasını kesti.
literary— To maintain a relationship by meeting frequently.
Arayı soğutmayalım, haftaya yine gel.
neutral— To be in a very difficult, tight spot or undecided.
Karar veremedi, arada derede kaldı.
informalWord Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ARA' as an 'Area' of rest between tasks. It's the 'Area' between two things.
Visual Association
Imagine a bridge with a gap in the middle. That gap is the 'ara'. Or imagine a clock stopping for a 'break' at 12:00.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to use 'ara' in three different ways today: once for a break, once for a physical location (between), and once to describe a relationship.
Word Origin
Derived from the Old Turkic root 'ara', which has meant 'middle', 'between', or 'interval' for over a millennium.
Original meaning: Middle, space between.
TurkicCultural Context
No specific sensitivities, but when saying 'aramızda' (between us), ensure the context doesn't imply excluding someone in a rude way.
English speakers often use 'break' for everything. Remember that 'ara' covers 'break', 'interval', 'gap', and 'relationship'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
School
- Öğle arası
- Ders arası
- Sınav arası
- Teneffüs arası
Office
- Kahve arası
- Toplantı arası
- İş arası
- Kısa bir ara
Directions
- İki bina arası
- Sokak arası
- Duraklar arası
- Şehirler arası
Relationships
- Aramız iyi
- Aramız bozuk
- Arayı düzeltmek
- Arayı açmak
Time
- Bu aralar
- Bir ara
- Arada bir
- Uzun bir ara
Conversation Starters
"Bu aralar neler yapıyorsun?"
"Seninle onun arası nasıl?"
"Biraz ara verip kahve içelim mi?"
"İki ders arasında ne yapacaksın?"
"Aramızda kalsın ama yeni bir iş buldum, ne dersin?"
Journal Prompts
Bugün işe ne zaman ara verdin?
Eski bir arkadaşınla arayı açtın mı? Neden?
Bu aralar seni en çok ne mutlu ediyor?
İki şehir arasında yolculuk yaparken neler düşünürsün?
Hayatında neye ara vermek istersin?
Summary
'Ara' is your go-to word for any kind of 'in-between' space or time. Whether you need a coffee break (ara vermek) or are describing where a cat is hiding (arasında), this word is essential. Example: 'Ders arası' (Lesson break).
- A versatile noun meaning break, interval, or gap.
- Used for physical space between objects (e.g., between two trees).
- Used for temporal pauses (e.g., school recess or commercial breaks).
- Describes social relationships (e.g., 'our relationship is good').
Related Content
Learn it in Context
This Word in Other Languages
Related Phrases
More daily_life words
acaba
A2I wonder, used to express curiosity or doubt
acıkmak
A2to become hungry
ad
A1name
adeta
B1almost, as if, practically
adres
A1Address
aksilik
B1mishap, setback, or bad luck
akış
B1Flow, stream, or course of events
akşam
A1evening
akşamüstü
B1Late afternoon or early evening
almak
A1to take, to buy