Turkish Proverbs

[arslan]

mummo, those 2 aren't proverbs but sayings/idioms.
The first one is "denizden babam ciksa yerim" and the 2nd one is "ister fakir ol ister fukara, yemeklerden sonra yak bir sigara"
By looking at your nick I think you are italian. Is your grandma a turk or an italian (as we izmirians call levanten - from levante) who lived in Izmir?

[mummo]

Actually I'm Finnish, and funnily enough "mummo" is the Finnish word for grandmother (this wasn't intentional, I was just being lazy with names :P). And she is completely Turkish, lived in Izmir all her life and doesn't speak a word of any other language.

By the way since you are from Izmir when I visit my family in Turkey my relatives never say "teşekkürler" but instead they say "merci" like in French. Is this widespread and if so where does it come from?

[arslan]

Actually I'm Finnish, and funnily enough "mummo" is the Finnish word for grandmother (this wasn't intentional, I was just being lazy with names :P). And she is completely Turkish, lived in Izmir all her life and doesn't speak a word of any other language.

By the way since you are from Izmir when I visit my family in Turkey my relatives never say "teþekkürler" but instead they say "merci" like in French. Is this widespread and if so where does it come from?

I don't know if it is widespread in other cities but yes, in Izmir it is used a lot (at least among older people). Most probably because french was the language people learnt in schools before english became an international language. Actually (AFAIK) 'sagol' is fully a turkish word for thank you. Tesekkur(ler) might be a distant cousin to arabic "shoukran" .

[mummo]

I don't know if it is widespread in other cities but yes, in Izmir it is used a lot (at least among older people). Most probably because french was the language people learnt in schools before english became an international language. Actually (AFAIK) 'sagol' is fully a turkish word for thank you. Tesekkur(ler) might be a distant cousin to arabic "shoukran" .

That's interesting, never heard sagol before. Is there a fully Turkish word for "hi" as well since merhaba comes from Arabic I think?

[marmaris]

we use "selam" for "hi"..especially turkish youth


btw "sağol" is used pretty much..you can see it like "saol" maybe,esp in internet..

[kolbaskina]

this is so interesting theme!
But here are only three letters. May be someone desires to continue?
Pleeeease

[beinglost]

Ç
Çıkar ağzındaki baklayı.
Literal translation: Remove that bean hiding under your tongue.
Meaning: Tell what are you really are going to tell me, rather than prolonging the conversation.

Çıkmayan candan umit kesilmez.
Literal translation: Hope won't be cut from the soul that has not expired.
Meaning: As long as there is life, there is hope.

Çok yaşayan bilmez, çok gezen bilir.
Literal translation: Not he who lived long knows, but he who traveled much knows.
Meaning: Experience counts more than years.

D
Dağ dağa kavuşmaz,insan insana kavuşur.
Literal translation: Mountain won't meet mountain, but man will meet man.
Meaning: Consider that whatever you do to a person, you may meet him again.
Damlaya damlaya göl olur.
Literal translation: Drop by drop the lake is formed.
Meaning: From little acorns, mighty oak trees grow.

Davulun sesi uzaktan hoş gelir.
Literal translation: The sound of drums sounds nicely from far away.
Meaning: The grass looks greener on the other side.

Denize düşen yılana sarılır.
Literal translation: Who falls into the sea will take hold even of a snake.
Meaning: If you are in a bad situation, you will accept any help. Beggars can't be choosers.

Dervişin fikri neyse zikri de odur.
Literal translation: Whatever the thoughts of the dervish, so are his formulas.
Meaning: Man's thoughts are revealed in his speech.

Deveye sormuşlar neden boynun eğri. "Nerem doğru ki?" demiş.
Literal translation: They asked the camel why its neck was curved. "What of me is straight?" it said.
Meaning: Used for extremely unpleasant and pessimistic situations. Also used to insult people.

Doğru söyleyeni dokuz köyden kovarlar.
Literal translation: The one who speaks truth would be expelled from nine villages.
Meaning: Who always speaks the truth is not popular.
Note: "Dokuz" (nine) displays alliteration with "doğru" (truth).

Dünyayı sel bassa ördeğe vız gelir.
Literal translation: If the world is flooded, it wouldn't matter for the duck.

E
El elin eşeğini türkü çığırarak arar.
Literal translation: One searches for someone else's donkey while singing songs.
Meaning: People are not disheartened by the trouble of others.

Eleştiri hakkı çalışmaktan doğar
Literal translation: The right to criticize comes from working.
Meaning: Those who haven't done it shouldn't criticize it.

Emek olmadan yemek olmaz.
Literal translation: Without effort there is no food.
Meaning: No pain, no gain.

F

Fala inanma falsız kalma.
Literal translation: Don't believe in foretellings but don't stay without them.
Meaning: Foretellings are not to be believed but they might have benefits.

G

Geçti dost kervanı, eyleme beni.
Literal translation: Already passed the caravan of friends, just leave me alone.
Meaning: Used when some bad event reaches a point of no return.

Gençliğin kıymeti ihtiyarlıkta bilinir.
Literal translation: The value of youth will be known in old age.

Gençlık bir kuştur, ucar tutamam. Yaşlılık yüktür, bir kuruşa satamam.

Literal translation: Youth is a bird, escapes my capture. Old age is a heavy burden, can't sell it for a penny.

Gökyüzünde düğün var deseler, kadınlar merdiven kurmaya kalkar.

Literal translation: If they say there is a wedding in the sky, women would try to put up a ladder.
Meaning: Turkish women like weddings very much.

Görünen köy kılavuz istemez.
Literal translation: The village that one can see requires no guide.
Meaning: No need to say something when it is obvious.

Gözden uzak olan gönülden de uzak olur.
Literal translation: Who is far from the eye will also be far from the heart.
Meaning: One who is out of sight is also out of mind.

Gülü seven dikenine katlanır.
Literal translation: Who loves a rose will endure its thorns.
Meaning: If you love something, you need to accept its undesirable attributes./ everything has its consequences

Güneş balçıkla sıvanmaz.
Literal translation: Sun cannot be daubed using wet clay.
Meaning: One cannot conceal something very obvious whatever they try.

Güneşte yanmayan gölgenin kıymetini bilmez.
Literal translation: Who has never been burned in the sun won't know the value of shadow.
Meaning: One will not appreciate something, if they haven't ever been in need of it.

[ellenatr]

Hamama giren terler.
Literal translation: Who enters the Turkish bath will sweat.
Meaning: To bear the consequences of one's actions.

Harman yel ile, düğün el ile olur.
Literal translation: Winnowing is with the wind, wedding is with the people.
Meaning: Every situation has its own requisits.

Hatasiz Kul Olmaz.
Literal translation: Flawless human is impossible
Meaning: Nobody's Perfect.

Havan dövücünün hık deyicisi.
Literal translation: He who hiccups of him who beats the pestle.
Meaning: To pretend to help but not do anything.

Havlayan köpek ısırmaz.
Literal Translation: A barking dog doesn't bite.
Meaning: Someone who lets out his fury by shouting will not do any physical harm. Display of aggression is usually bluff.

Hayy'dan gelen Hû'ya gider.
Literal translation: What comes from The Ever Living One will go to him.
Meaning: He who comes from the creator, will return to him at the end.

Hazıra dağlar dayanmaz.
Literal translation: Mountains won't endure on what lies ready.
Meaninng: One cannot live forever on one's savings.

Her gönülde bir aslan yatar.
Literal translation: There lies a lion in every heart.
Meaning: Everybody has bravery somewhere in themselves.

Her horoz kendi çöplüğünde öter.
Literal translation: Every rooster crows in its own pen.
Meaning: People take courage from being in familiar surroundings.

Her koyun kendi bacağından asılır.
Literal translation: Every sheep is hanged from its own leg.
Meaning: Everyone is responsible for his own actions.

Her kuşun eti yenmez.
Literal translation: One cannot eat the meat of every bird.
Meaning: Not every person will do as you say.

Her şeyin yenisi, dostun, şarabın eskisi.
Literal translation: Every thing is best when new, a friend and wine are best when old.

Her taş, baş yarmaz.
Literal translation: Not every stone will hurt your head.
Meaning: You should not be scared of every little obstacle.

Hocanın vurduğu yerde gül biter.
Literal translation: A rose will sprout from the place where a teacher has hit.
Meaning: No learning without beating.

Horozu çok olan köyün sabahı geç olur.
Literal translation: In a village with too many roosters morning will come late.
Meaning: With too much deliberation a solution won't be reached.

[beinglost]

I

Isıracak köpek dişini göstermez.
Literal translation: A dog that intends to bite does not bare its teeth.
Meaning: Malicious action is done surreptitiously.


İ
İmam gülerse, cemaat kahkaha atar.
Literal translation: If the imam scoffs, the community will chortle.
Meaning: The leader serves as a model for the people.

"İki ucu boklu deynek."
Literal translation: A stick with both sides covered in ****.
Meaning: Either of the options is unsatisfactory.

İmam osurursa, cemaat sıçar.
Literal translation: If the imam farts, the whole congregation will defecate.
Meaning: The leader serves as an example to his followers.

İsin yanına varan is, misin yanına varan mis kokar.
Literal translation: Who goes near soot smells of soot, and who goes near musk smells of musk.
Meaning: A person is influenced by the company he keeps with.

İşleyen demir pas tutmaz.
Literal translation: Iron that works does not rust.
Meaning: One has to practise to keep up one's performance.

İt ürür, kervan yürür.
Literal translation: Dogs bark but caravan still moves on.
Meaning: Great achievements can't be prevented by insignificant people.

İti an, çomağı hazırla.
Literal translation: Name the dog, ready the stick.
Meaning: Used for people who show up instantly when they have been talked about.
--An unpleasant meaning.--

İyi insan lafının üzerine gelirmiş.
Literal translation: A good person always arrives on the uttering of his name.
Meaning: Used for people who show up instantly when they have been talked about.
-- A pleasant meaning.--

İtle dalaşmaktansa çalıyı dolaşmak yeğdir.
Literal translation: It is better to walk around a bush than fight with a dog.

İyilik yap denize at, balık bilmezse halik bilir.
Literal Translation: Do good and throw it into the sea; if the fish don't know it, God will.

K
"En iyi karar, verilmiş karardir"
Literal meaning: The best decision is a made one

Karga demiş: "Benim ak pak evladim".
Literal translation: The crow said: "Oh, my snow-white child".
Meaning: Eveyone thinks their child is beautiful.

Karga kekliği taklit edeyim derken, kendi yürüyüşünü unutmuş.
Literal translation: As the crow tried to imitate the partridge, it forgot its own walking style.
Meaning: Be yourself.

Kaz gelecek yerden tavuk esirgenmez.
Literal translation: A chicken won't be grudged to a place a goose will come from.
Meaning: You need to be ready to sacrifice smaller things to reach your bigger goals.

"Koyun bulunmadigi yerde keciye Abdur Rahim Celebi derler".
Literal Translation: In the land where there are no sheep, they call goats. Abdur Rahim Chelebi
Meaning: In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is a king.

Kefenin cebi yok.
Literal translation: The shroud has no pockets.
Meaning: You cannot take your earthly belongings with you when you die.
Make better things with your wealth.

Kel ölür sırma saçlı olur, kör ölür badem gözlü olur.
Literal translation: The bald becomes golden haired when he dies, the blind becomes almond eyed when he dies.
Meaning: People will attribute unrealistically good qualities to a person once he dies.

Kılavuzu karga olanın burnu boktan çıkmaz.
Literal translation: The nose of him whose guide is a crow will never get out of the ****.
Meaning: Follow the right advise.

Körle yatan şaşı kalkar.
Literal translation: Who lies with the blind gets up cross-eyed.
Meaning: If you are with the wrong person, you will adopt the mistakes.

Köşeye sıkışan sıçan kedi taşağı yalar.
Literal translation: The cornered rat will lick the balls of the cat.
Meaning: A stranded person will act subserviently in order to survive.

Kurda ensen neden kalın demişler, kendi işimi kendim görürüm de ondan demiş.
Literal translation: They asked the wolf: "Why is your neck thick?", and it said: "I do my job myself, that's why."

Kurunun yanında yaş da yanar.
Literal translation: Near the dry, the damp will burn.
Meaning: If you are with wrongdoers, nobody cares if you are innocent.

L
Lafla peynir gemisi yürümez.
Literal translation: With talking the cheese, ship won't move.
Meaning: It's an action that will yield the tangible results, not the talking.

[seviedo]

Interesting interesting.

[FACU]

* Mal canı kazanmaz, can malı kazanır.
o Literal translation: Property will not earn life, but life will earn property.
o Meaning: Health is more important than wealth.

* Mart kapıdan baktırır, kazma kürek yaktırır.
o Literal translation: March makes one look through the door, and makes one burn hoes and shovels.
o Meaning: Do not act carelessly under influence of enthusiasm, or you might find yourself in a darer situation.

* Merd-i kıpti şecaat arzederken sirkatin söyler.
o Literal translation: A brave/daring gypsy will brag on his robberies. (A gypsy, so daringly fool, confesses his own inapplausable acts without even being asked)
o Meaning: Do not brag with the things that are not suitable to brag with. (Do not brag about unworthy acts)

* Meyveli ağaçı taşlarlar.
o Literal translation: They throw stones at a tree with fruit. (Always the trees that bear fruit are stoned)
o Meaning: Those who are good and talented are the most envied and critisized for.

* Minareyi çalan kılıfını hazırlar.
o Literal translation: Dare to steal the minaret but first prepare the sack for hiding it.
o Meaning: Excuses have to be prearranged before the tresspasses.

* Minareyi yaptırmayan yerden bitmiş sanır.
o Literal translation: He who did not help building the minaret, thinks that it just grew out from the ground.

* Misafir umduğunu yemez, bulduğunu yer.
o Literal translation: A guest does not get the food he expects but what he's served.

* Mühür kimde ise Süleyman odur.
o Literal translation: Whoever has the Seal, he is Solomon [the prophet]. (Solomon is he who has the seal)
o Meaning: He who is the boss is the one who calls the shots. (Those who are empowered have the right to enforce authority)

* Namazda gözü olmayanın ezanda kulağı olmaz.
o Literal translation: Who has no intention to pray has no ears for the call to prayer.
o Meaning: One's perceptions depend on her/his intentions.

* Ne ekersen onu biçersin.
o Literal translation: You will reap whatever you sow.

* Nerede hareket orada bereket.
o Literal translation: Where there is activity, there is fertility.

* Nereye gitsen okka dört yüz dirhemdir.
o Literal translation: Wherever you go, an okka is four hundred dirhem.
o Meaning: It makes no difference, fact is fact. (An okka is a weight of 1282 gr, or 400 dirhem)

* Oğlan babadan öğrenir sofra açmayı, kız anadan öğrenir biçki biçmeyi.
o Literal translation: A son will learn from his father to make a living, a daughter will learn from her mother to cut clothes.

* Olacakla öleceğe çare bulunmaz.
o Literal translation: There is no remedy for what will be and who will die.

* Olan dört bağlar, olmayan dert bağlar.
o Literal translation: He who has wraps four, he who has not wraps trouble.
o Meaning: The rich have valuables, the poor have troubles.

* Olsa ile bulsayı ekmişler, yel ile yuf bitmiş.
o Literal translation: They sowed "if only" and "if found", and wind and waste sprang up.

* Papaz her gün pilav yemez.
o Literal translation: The priest does not eat rice every day.
o Meaning: To grab an opportunity.

* Parayla imanın kimde olduğu belli olmaz.
o Literal translation: It is unclear who has money and who faith.

* Parayı veren düdüğü çalar.
o Literal translation: Who gives the money will play the flute.
o Meaning: There is no free lunch.
* Rüşvet kapıdan girince iman bacadan çıkar.
o Literal translation: When bribery enters through the door, faith goes out through the chimney

[YEŞIM]

super <3

[Garip]

Thank you

Merci beaucoup pour ces proverbes qui ont pour la plupart beaucoup de sens.
J'aime votre site .
Devam eddin sayenizde guzel seyler ogreniyoruz

Sorry i'm not speak english

[Oriee]

Kedinin kanadi olsaydi, serçenin adı kalmadı.

What is meant by this proverb, especiaaly ;serçenin adı', doesn't mean there wouldn't have been any bird, and its trace even disappeared, or does it mean, that its name (kedi) won't be the same?

[pheobe]

it says if cat had the wings,then there wont be name( but in here it means fame) of the bird.. basically it means if cats had the wings then birds wouldnt be important..

kedinin kanadı olsaydı,serçenin adı kalmazdı.

[ercmnt]

Kedinin kanadi olsaydi, serçenin adı kalmazdi.

If the cat had wings, there wouldn't be a name as serce.

I don't know the translation for serce but it is a small bird we see every where. Cats love to hunt them

So I don't know what it realy wants to tell but something like a "balance" it may be.
Its the first time I ve heard something like that.

[pheobe]

hmmm maybe it means if the cats had the wings they would hunt all birds :P so there wont be any :P

[Oriee]

Poor serçe... Yazık

Çok teşekkürler arkadaşlar...

Well in fact pheobe'cim, I understood it as you explained your last post, but a friend of mine said, it means that the cats will be this bird, so I got confused which is the correct anlama

[Essential]

[Akacak kan damarda durmaz
IF blood will flood,it can't stand in vein

If something can/ could happen,you can't interfere it

[Frankie Jasmine]

This is an old thread, but an important one to me. I looked up the wikiquote noted in Post #20, but I did not see the Turkish proverbs quoted and put into English.

If anyone knows where this info is on Wikipedia or Wikiquotes, I'd like to have the link. Otherwise, I think the proverbs in Turkish and put into English are great! A few are similar to English ones; but there are some which have no English equivalent that I am aware of. Therefore, they "sound" very Turkish to me!