Learn 20 Funny Turkish Phrases And Their Meanings

Funny Turkish Phrases - Ling App

Ready to finally learn the weirdly funny Turkish phrases that every Turk says? I explain the twenty of them in this blog post!

No matter how good your Turkish is, Turks will always boggle your mind with funny Turkish phrases used in everyday life. Because there are pretty interesting yet on-the-spot phrases for almost every situation in the Turkish language.

In this blog post, I will teach you a bunch of common phrases with direct translations for each of them so that you won’t be dumbfounded when you hear these from your Turkish friends.

 

Funny Turkish Phrases You Need To Know

1. Şeytan tüyü

Meaning: The devil’s feather

This phrase is used to describe someone who is charming and can become close with everyone.

evil eye

2. Nazar Değmesin

Meaning: May you not be touched by the evil eye

We say this phrase when we admire and compliment someone pretty, but to protect them from any harm and to indicate that you’re not jealous in a wrong way. It’s usually accompanied by the word maşallah.

3. Bir yastıkta kocasınlar

Meaning: May they grow old on one pillow

It’s like wishing a newlywed couple to be together until they get old. There is a big long pillow in almost all Turkish family homes. Couples used to share that one long pillow when sleeping in older times, but it’s not a thing today.

4. Etekleri zil çalıyor

Meaning: The bells on her hems are ringing

This phrase is used to describe someone who is excited about something.

5. Pabucu dama atıldı

Meaning: His shoe was thrown onto the roof

This phrase is used when someone who is in the spotlight has been passed over by another. This one has an interesting backstory so let me share it with you.

In the Ottoman era, quality and honesty were crucial in commerce, so the tradesman who cheated customers were punished by closing their shops and labeling them as fraud. If it was a shoemaker, one of the shoes he sells would be thrown to the roof of his shop so that all people would know that the shoemaker is unreliable.

6. Balık etli

Meaning: Fish fleshed

It’s no secret that most Turkish men like women with a bit of meat on their bones, and this phrase describes all curvy girls.

7. Elini sallasa ellisi

Meaning: If she waves her hand, fifty will come

It means someone is so beautiful/handsome that fifty people will fall for them with just one move. So it literally translates as there are plenty more fish in the sea in English.

8. Armut piş ağzıma düş

Meaning: May the pear be cooked and fall into my mouth

This phrase describes a person who doesn’t like to work and wants everything comes ready and done for themselves.

9. Kafayı üşüttü

Meaning: He has caught a cold in their head

This phrase describes someone who has gone crazy.

10. İlk göz ağrım

Meaning: The first pain of my eye

This phrase describes the parent’s love for their first child, so the child won’t be jealous of their younger siblings.

saying goodbye

11. Güle güle gidin

Meaning: May you go laughing

Nobody likes sad goodbyes, right? Turks do the farewell in the best way possible by saying this phrase to departing visitors.

12. Güle güle kullan

Meaning: May you use it smiling

This phrase is said when someone buys something new. You can also say this when you give someone a present.

13. Kafam güzel

Meaning: My head is beautiful

This phrase means that you’re high or drunk.

pistachio

14. Fıstık

Meaning: Pistachio

This word is used to describe very attractive young women. I think it literally means “chick” in English.

15. Ağızla kuş tutmak

Meaning: Catching a bird with his mouth

This phrase is used when the acts of someone will not be approved even if he does the miracles.

16. Balık kavağa çıkınca

Meaning: When the fish climbs the tree

This phrase is used when you mean that something is never going to happen.

17. Kulağını tersten göstermek

Meaning: Showing the ear from the opposite side

This phrase means that you take the farthest and most difficult way to do something while there is a much easier way.

relaxing

18. Ense yapmak

Meaning: To lie on nape

This phrase refers to someone who eats, drinks, and enjoys themselves but never works. It’s used for lazy people.

19. Çam devirmek

Meaning: To take down a tree

This phase is used for someone who draws people’s attention with their words and puts themselves in an unpleasant situation.

20. Yağlı müşteri

Meaning: Fatty customer

This phrase refers to someone rich and spending a lot of money shopping.

If these Turkish phrases interest you, why don’t you learn more about them in Ling App?

 

Learn Turkish With The Ling App!

Want to learn even more Turkish verbs? Then, waste no more time and check out the Ling app to start your Turkish lessons at home today!

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Until next time! Görüşmek üzere!

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