Friday in Turkish: Cuma
Pronounced joo-MAH — literally “(day of) gathering”.
Friday in Turkish at a Glance
| Turkish word | Cuma |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | joo-MAH (Cu·ma) |
| Literal meaning | (day of) gathering |
| Abbreviation | Cum |
From Arabic jumuʿa, “gathering” — the congregational Friday prayer. The same word names Friday across the Muslim world, from Arabic الجمعة to Persian jom'e.
How to Pronounce Cuma
joo-MAH — syllable by syllable: Cu·ma.
- Turkish ı (no dot) is a deep “uh” sound — different from dotted i, which sounds like English “ee”.
- c sounds like English “j” (Cuma = “JOO-mah”), while ç is “ch” and ş is “sh”.
- Stress generally falls lightly on the last syllable.
Example Sentences with Cuma
How to Say “Happy Friday” in Turkish
Turkish pluralizes its day greetings: “Hayırlı cumalar!” is literally “good Fridays!” — wishing you not just this one, but all of them. On Fridays the religious greeting “Hayırlı cumalar!” is by far the most common.
All 7 Days of the Week in Turkish
The Turkish week is a linguistic time capsule: Persian numbers (Çarşamba “4th”, Perşembe “5th”), Arabic religion (Cuma, the day of gathering for prayer), and Turkish market-day logic (Pazar “bazaar”, Pazartesi “after the bazaar”, Cumartesi “after Cuma”). The week starts on Monday.
| English | Turkish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Pazartesi | pah-zahr-teh-SEE |
| Tuesday | Salı | sah-LUH |
| Wednesday | Çarşamba | char-shahm-BAH |
| Thursday | Perşembe | pehr-shem-BEH |
| Friday | Cuma | joo-MAH |
| Saturday | Cumartesi | joo-mahr-teh-SEE |
| Sunday | Pazar | pah-ZAHR |
See the full guide: Days of the Week in Turkish.
Cultural Notes: Friday in Turkish-Speaking Countries
“Hayırlı cumalar!” (blessed Friday!) floods Turkish social media every week — the standard Friday greeting. Friday midday prayer fills mosques, but unlike Arab countries, Turkey's official weekend has been Saturday–Sunday since 1935.
Did You Know?
From Arabic jumuʿa, “gathering” — the congregational Friday prayer. The same word names Friday across the Muslim world, from Arabic الجمعة to Persian jom'e. Curious how English got its name for Friday? See our guide to the origins of the days of the week.
How to Use Cuma in a Sentence
Turkish usually adds günü (“its day”) after the day name: cuma günü = on Friday. “Every Friday” is her cuma. There are no grammatical genders or articles to worry about.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say Friday in Turkish?
Friday in Turkish is Cuma, pronounced “joo-MAH”. It literally means “(day of) gathering”.
What does Cuma mean in English?
From Arabic jumuʿa, “gathering” — the congregational Friday prayer. The same word names Friday across the Muslim world, from Arabic الجمعة to Persian jom'e.
How do you pronounce Cuma?
It's pronounced “joo-MAH” — broken into syllables: Cu·ma.
How do you say “Happy Friday” in Turkish?
Hayırlı cumalar!. Turkish pluralizes its day greetings: “Hayırlı cumalar!” is literally “good Fridays!” — wishing you not just this one, but all of them. On Fridays the religious greeting “Hayırlı cumalar!” is by far the most common.
How is Friday abbreviated in Turkish?
Friday (Cuma) is abbreviated Cum on Turkish calendars and schedules.
Is Cuma capitalized in Turkish?
In running text it's lowercase (cuma); it's capitalized when written as part of a full date, e.g. “15 Haziran 2026 Cuma”. That's why you see both forms.
How do you say “on Friday” in Turkish?
Cuma günü — literally “Friday its-day”. The word günü (from gün, “day”) is usually added: “cuma günü görüşürüz” = see you on Friday.
How do you say “today is Friday” in Turkish?
Bugün cuma. Turkish needs no verb “to be” here — literally just “today Friday”.