Turkish · Insults
Ahmak
ah-MAHK · /ahˈmak/
Fool / simpleton
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
Literally
"Fool"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
A slightly bookish, old-fashioned "fool" — you'll meet it in proverbs and stern lectures more than street arguments. Carries a whiff of moral judgment (foolish AND gullible). Reads more literary than salak; a teacher or a columnist is likelier to reach for it than a teenager.
Heard in the wild
O dolandırıcıya inandın mı, ahmak!
You believed that con man, you fool!
Where it lands
Turkey-wide; slightly literary
Quick answers
- What does "Ahmak" mean?
- In Turkish, "Ahmak" means "Fool / simpleton". Literally it's "Fool". A slightly bookish, old-fashioned "fool" — you'll meet it in proverbs and stern lectures more than street arguments. Carries a whiff of moral judgment (foolish AND gullible). Reads more literary than salak; a teacher or a columnist is likelier to reach for it than a teenager.
- Is "Ahmak" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "Ahmak"?
- Say it "ah-MAHK" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ahˈmak.
Related in Turkish
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "You idiot".
- French Con Idiot / dumbass — the single most useful insult in French
- German Arsch Arse / ass — and the second great compound-engine of German
- Greek μαλάκας Asshole / idiot — OR — dude / mate. The single most important word in Greek.
- Italian Stronzo! Asshole! / Bastard!
- Japanese ばか Idiot / dummy / stupid
- Korean 바보 Dummy / silly — the soft, safe, often affectionate 'idiot.'
- Polish debil Moron / idiot — the standard hard 'you idiot.'
- Portuguese Otário Sucker / gullible fool / mug
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