8/19/2019 Turk Proverbs

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1. Hoş geldiniz”Your arrival is lovely”

Said as a greeting to visitors to make them feel at home.

2. Şeytan tüyü“The devil’s feather” 

What seems like an insult is actually a compliment used to describe someone who has a mysterious,

devilish charm.

3. Taş attı da kolu mu yoruldu?“ Did he throw a stone so his arm got tired?”

Said to berate someone who’s being lazy.

4. Bir yastıkta kocasınlar“ May they grow old with one pillow”

ind of like telling couples to never go to bed angry, this is said to newlyweds who traditionally share a

single, long pillow in a marital bed.

. !tekleri zil "alıyor“The bells on their hems are ringing” 

! recently learned this evocative saying used to describe someone who’s very e"cited.

#. $a%ucu dama atıldı“ His shoe has been thrown onto the roof” 

#ften said of a father when a new baby monopolises the mother’s attentions, or by anyone who has

been passed over in favour of another.

&. Balık etli“ Fish fleshed” 

$urkish men usually like women with a bit of meat on their bones, and this is a lovely compliment to

curvy girls.

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'. Ha(adan sudan“Of the air and water” 

$urks love to chat, often at length, and about nothing in particular. $his is a great way of describing idle

chatter % a lot like !rish rai.

). !lini sallasa ellisi“ !f he waves his hand fifty will ome” 

& great way to comfort a friend after a breakup, it means there are plenty more fish in the sea.

1*. +i,erimin k-şesi“The orner of my liver” 

$his anatomic description is actually used to describe someone who is very precious to you. 'ou might

hear it featured as a lyric in love songs.

11. rmut /iş a,zıma düş“ May the pear be oo"ed on the tree and fall into my mouth” 

$his describes a person who doesn’t like to work, to whom everything comes ready and done % or

falls literally in their lap.

12. 0yi ki do,dun“ !t’s good that you were born”

$urkish for (appy )irthday. ! think this e"pression is a lot more meaningful than the *nglish version,

and ! even use the literal *nglish translation on my non+$urkish friends’ birthdays.

13. Boş(er“#ive empty”

erhaps my favorite saying, $o%ver means “let it go,” a la Fro&en.

14. !l elden üstündür“ ' hand is superior to another person’s hand”

Said to show that there’s always someone who can do a better -ob.

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1. Battı %alık yan gider“ ' sun"en fish goes sideways”

$his one’s pretty hard to parse, but it means that the worst+case scenario has already happened the fish

has sunk/, so you might as well stop worrying and have some fun0

1#. teş almaya gelmek“(oming over )ust for a light” 

'ou can cheekily accuse a visitor of this when you want them to stay a while longer.

1&. +ami yıkılmış ama mira% yerinde”The mos*ue is a ruin but the mihrap is standing” 

#ne of my personal favorites, this phrase describes an older woman who retains her charms. !t’s like

saying a church is in ruins but the pulpit is standing. )asically, it’s the opposite of “mutton dressed as

lamb.”

1'. e"miş olsun“ May it be the past”

Said when someone is sick or has had a bad e"perience. ! love how it recognizes someone’s pain, but

also e"presses the hope that it will soon be behind them.

1). azar de,mesin“ May you not be touhed by the evil eye”

Said after giving a compliment, particularly to a child. &lthough !’m a pretty rational person, ! do

believe in the power of the evil eye and use this saying a lot.

2*. Hayırlı olsun“ May it be auspiious”

Said whenever someone has a new undertaking, such as a new -ob.

21. lla analı %a%alı %üyütsün“ May #od let him+her grow up with both a mom and dad”

erhaps the most meaningful thing you could wish for a newborn child.

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22. olay gelsin” May it be easy for you” 

$his is a great way to acknowledge another person’s labors, even a stranger on the street, who has a

difficult task at hand.

23. 5ok yaşa“ May you live long”

$urkish for “bless you,” ,o" ya%a is said after someone sneezes. $he sneezer then replies sende g-r 

may you also see my life/ or hep beraber may we all have many more years to live/.

24. a6ayı üşüttü“They’ve aught a old in their head”

$urks have a congenital fear of catching a chill, which can strike any part of your body. !f you’ve

caught a cold in your head, it means you’ve gone crazy.

2. 7ıatler olsun“ May it bring your health”

#lder generations who grew up before hot running water in homes, and who only had baths once or

twice a week, will say this when you come out of the shower in case you catch a chill see above/.

2#. Başınız sa,olsun“ May your head stay healthy” 

& thoughtful way of wishing someone condolences when they are grieving the loss of a loved one.

2&. 8Benim9 ilk g-z a,rım“The first pain of my eye” 

$his is said to a first love or first child to avoid giving them the evil eye ! used to feel very -ealous

when my grandmother said this to my brother, her oldest grandchild./

2'. !llerine sa,lık“ Health to your hand”

Said to someone who has created something beautiful with their hands, particularly to a cook or a

$urkish mom after she’s cooked up a feast for her family.

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2). Bir musi%et %in nasiatten iyidir“One bad e.periene is worth a thousand warnings” 

1o e"planation needed.

3*. üle güle gidin“ May you go laughing”

$his is said to departing visitors to help take the edge off sad goodbyes

31. Zorla güzellik olmaz. 2orced beauty won3t do.

32. Havlayan köpek ısırmaz. 

)arking dogs seldom bite.

33. Bilmemek ayı/ de,il: sormamak ayı/

It is not a shame not to know, it is a shame not to ask.