pahalı: describing expensive things in Turkish

The idea

Say pahalı bir otel before a noun or bilet pahalı as a sentence. The adjective stays unchanged before plural nouns.

Examples

• Bu ayakkabılar pahalı.These shoes are expensive.
• Pahalı bir otel seçmiyoruz.We are not choosing an expensive hotel.
• Bu çanta ucuz değil, pahalı.This bag is not cheap; it is expensive.
• Pahalı kitaplar bu rafta.The expensive books are on this shelf.
• Bu bilet benim için pahalı.This ticket is expensive for me.
• Pahalı bir hediye istemiyorum.I do not want an expensive gift.

Watch out

A high price is relative to context and budget. Pahalı alone does not say whether an item is valuable or good.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the option that completes the Turkish sentence. Bu ayakkabılar ucuz değil; ___. (pahalı / ucuz)

   Show answer or example answer

   pahalı

   Pahalı describes the shoes as expensive, not cheap.

2. Choose the option that completes the Turkish sentence. Fiyatı benim bütçem için çok yüksek: bilet ___. (pahalı / ucuz)

   Show answer or example answer

   pahalı

   Pahalı fits a ticket whose price is high for the speaker.

3. Choose the option that completes the Turkish sentence. Bu çanta pahalı ___; ucuz. (değil / mi)

   Show answer or example answer

   değil

   Değil negates pahalı: the bag is cheap.

Use it today

Describe an expensive item and say whether it fits your budget.