Learn Turkish with Fatih
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Unit 24 · 20 phrases

Proverbs & idioms

Atasözleri ve deyimler

Culture tip

Turkish idioms are very visual: people “eat their head” (go crazy) and “make a camel out of a flea” (exaggerate).

  1. 461Damlaya damlaya göl olur.
    dahm·lah·yah dahm·lah·yah gurl oh·loor
    Drop by drop, a lake is made.    Listen
  2. 462Bir fincan kahvenin kırk yıl hatırı vardır.
    beer feen·jahn kahh·veh·neen kuhrk yuhl hah·tuh·ruh vahr·duhr
    One cup of coffee is remembered for forty years.    Listen
  3. 463Pireyi deve yapma!
    pee·reh·yee deh·veh yahp·mah
    Don't make a camel out of a flea!    Listen
  4. 464Armut piş, ağzıma düş.
    ahr·moot peesh ah·zuh·mah dewsh
    Pear, ripen and fall into my mouth. (waiting lazily)    Listen
  5. 465Kulağına küpe olsun.
    koo·lah·uh·nah kew·peh ohl·soon
    Let it be an earring to your ear. (learn this lesson)    Listen
  6. 466Etekleri zil çalıyor.
    eh·tehk·leh·ree zeel chah·luh·yohr
    Her skirts are ringing bells. (she's overjoyed)    Listen
  7. 467Kafayı yedi.
    kah·fah·yuh yeh·dee
    He ate his head. (he went crazy)    Listen
  8. 468Ağzı kulaklarında.
    ah·zuh koo·lahk·lah·ruhn·dah
    His mouth is at his ears. (grinning)    Listen
  9. 469Sakla samanı, gelir zamanı.
    sahk·lah sah·mah·nuh geh·leer zah·mah·nuh
    Keep the straw, its time will come.    Listen
  10. 470Komşu komşunun külüne muhtaçtır.
    kohm·shoo kohm·shoo·noon kew·lew·neh mooh·tahch·tuhr
    A neighbor needs even the neighbor's ashes.    Listen
  11. 471Ateş olmayan yerden duman çıkmaz.
    ah·tehsh ohl·mah·yahn yehr·dehn doo·mahn chuhk·mahz
    There's no smoke without fire.    Listen
  12. 472Sabreden derviş muradına ermiş.
    sahb·reh·dehn dehr·veesh moo·rah·duh·nah ehr·meesh
    The patient dervish reached his wish.    Listen
  13. 473Acele işe şeytan karışır.
    ah·jeh·leh ee·sheh shay·tahn kah·ruh·shuhr
    The devil mixes into hurried work.    Listen
  14. 474Bin bilsen de bir bilene danış.
    been beel·sehn deh beer bee·leh·neh dah·nuhsh
    Even if you know a thousand things, ask someone who knows.    Listen
  15. 475Tatlı dil yılanı deliğinden çıkarır.
    taht·luh deel yuh·lah·nuh deh·lee·yeen·dehn chuh·kah·ruhr
    A sweet tongue draws the snake from its hole.    Listen
  16. 476Gülme komşuna, gelir başına.
    gewl·meh kohm·shoo·nah geh·leer bah·shuh·nah
    Don't laugh at your neighbor, it may happen to you.    Listen
  17. 477Her işte bir hayır vardır.
    hehr eesh·teh beer hah·yuhr vahr·duhr
    There is good in everything.    Listen
  18. 478Ayağını yorganına göre uzat.
    ah·yah·uh·nuh yohr·gah·nuh·nah gur·reh oo·zaht
    Stretch your legs according to your blanket.    Listen
  19. 479Bal tutan parmağını yalar.
    bahl too·tahn pahr·mah·uh·nuh yah·lahr
    Whoever holds honey licks his finger.    Listen
  20. 480Gün doğmadan neler doğar.
    gewn doh·mah·dahn neh·lehr doh·ahr
    Many things can happen before the sun rises.    Listen

🧠 Mini quiz

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