The Most Common Phrases in Turkish Culture

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