The Turkish language is full of numerous phrases used in daily life. Local people generally speak using these phrases and if you focus on directly real meaning of a word, most probably many sentences will seem indifferent. That’s why catch a couple of phrases also enables you to have an idea about the other phrases so that you can make a guess. Therefore, I will write a direct translation and true meaning separately. Let’s start!



Aba altından değnek göstermek: Showing the stick below the quilt
Meaning: Threatening someone implicitly without seeming harsh

Açık kapı bırakmak: Leave the door open
Meaning: Saying constructive words for a problem in the future even when you disagree now

Ağzında bakla ıslanmamak: Not getting wet broad bean in the mouth
Meaning: Couldn’t keep secret

Bal dök yala: Pour honey and lick
Meaning: The place is as clean as heaven

Baldırı çıplak: Naked calf
Meaning: Unemployed, a person who tries to find a reason for annoying you

Kafa ütülemek: Ironing head
Meaning: Making someone uncomfortable by speaking too much

Can kulağı ile dinlemek: Listening with the ear of heart
Meaning: Listening with extreme caution

Cebi delik: Hole pocket
Meaning: Penniless person, a person who couldn’t save money at hand

Çalmadan Oynamak: Dancing without a music
Meaning: Being very delighted and show it with your behavior

Çam devirmek: Overthrowing the pine
Meaning: Saying something that makes someone upset

Çamur atmak: Throwing mud
Meaning: Slander to someone

Çantada keklik: Partridge in the bag
Meaning: Achieving something very easy (it can be feeling of someone, a competition, everything)

Damarına basmak: Treading on the vessel
Meaning: Making someone angry by pushing from his/her weak side (It can be an ability, idea, humiliating memory, etc.)

Damdan düşer gibi: Like falling from the dam
Meaning: say something important or wanting to something suddenly in an unexpected time

Dış kapının dış mandalı: The latch of out door
Meaning: The person who is not associated with the subject

Eceline susamak: Thirsty to death
Meaning: Involving serious matter or speaking on a subject which is going to get a dangerous response

Fırıldak gibi dönmek: Rotating like a whirligig
Meaning: Being shapeable for his/her purpose

Göbeği çatlamak: Belly cracked
Meaning: Making highly effort to learn something

Hanım evladı: the son of a lady
Meaning: the person who grows up in a spoiled way

Hapı yutmak: Swallowing the pill
Meaning: Being in a bad situation

Isıtıp ısıtıp önüne koymak: Serving the same thing by heating constantly
Meaning: Telling something that is already known