[Learn Turkish Home Page] [Beginners] [Table of Contents] [Questions or Comments]

[Habibullah Speaks!] [Latest website updates]

[Search the whole website] [Online Turkish word dictionary]

Identify this Famous Turk... To Jim and Peri's Commercial-free CD for Turkish Learning -- now with triple ebook bonus! Also available in Downloadable Broadband Edition Essential Suffixes Printed Book

The Plain English Meanings of Turkish Idioms 'Ş' Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index The Idiomatic M-Doublets Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 We know you've seen reference books written for English speakers about English and American Idioms. And you may have seen books for Turkish speakers on the same subject. You may even have seen books for Turkish speakers about Turkish Idioms -- all in Turkish. But have you ever seen a reference for English speakers about Turkish Idioms? Well, when we couldn't find one after looking for seven years, we decided to do-it-ourselves. Observe our sampling just for Turkish idioms that begin with the letter Ş. Site visitors may navigate to other Turkish Idioms pages using the House-Favorite Idioms Page Index. Turkish Idioms beginning with the letter Ş The Turkish The Literal English Meaning The 'Plain' English Meaning Comments and Examples Şa   şafak atmak to throw dawn for the truth to suddenly dawn on (sb) Ödevi yarına kadar bitirmem gerektiğini hatırlayınca bende şafak attı. It finally dawned on me when I remembered that I had to finish my homework by tomorrow. (iş) şaka götürmemek (for work) to not bring joke (for something) to be 'no joking matter' Tabanca şaka götürmez. En küçük bir dikkatsizlik ölümle sonuçlanabilir. A gun is no joking matter. With the smallest carelessness it can result in death. şart... condition/situation... This one-word idiom conveys the meaning that something 'must be'... Seninle konuşmamız şart. Gitmen şart mı? We must [have a] talk. Must you [really] go? şaşı, çakır demektense kör de kurtul to escape (saying) cross-eyed and/or blind, to prefer (saying) grayish-blue (eyes) to avoid speaking the truth openly, to 'beat around the bush', to speak 'indirectly' instead of truthfully Anladım, bu adamı begenmiyorsun. Şaşı, çakır demektense kör de kurtul. I understand, you don't like this man. You are speaking indirectly to avoid the truth. Şe   Şerrine lanet! Damn to his wickedness! I want nothing to do with that devil! [Said to someone you wish to avoid like the plague!] May be used as shown... şeytana külahı (papucu/pabucu) ters giydirmek to dress Satan opposite in a conical hat (pair of shoes) to be very cunning, to make someone 'fall for' or believe something (that's not true); to be clever enough to outwit the devil himself Öyle kurnaz, öyle beceriklidir ki şeytana pabucu ters giydirir. He's that cunning, he's that clever that he could outwit the devil himself. şeytana uymak to suit the devil to stray from the correct path, to let the devil get the better of you, to yield to temptation Şeytana uyup bir hata yaptım, lütfen affedin. Bir daha yapmayacağım. I let the devil tempt me and I made a mistake, please forgive (me). I won't do it again. şeytanın art ayağı (kıç/bacağı) Satan's back foot (buttocks/leg) a mischief maker who, at the same time, is very clever Bu çocuk şeytanın art ayağı, her türlü kurnazlıkları biliyor. This child is mischievous and clever, he knows all kinds of cunning trickery. şeytan tüyü (bulunmak) (to have) a Satan feather (to have) a 'certain something' that makes one irresistibly attractive to others "Sensiz yapamıyorum. Sen yanımda olmadıkça kendimi yapayalnız hissediyorum. Şeytan tüyü var sanki sende." [Aslıhan via Gözler] I can't do (this) without you. Each time you are not by my side, I feel completely alone. It's as if you were irresistibly attractive (to me). Şı   şıp diye Note: şıp has no meaning except in this idiom. saying şıp instantly; in an instant Ne zaman güzel bir kadınla iki çift laf etmeye kalkışsam karım şıp diye damlar da... Whenever I try to have a word or two with a pretty woman, my wife instantly appears out of nowhere. Gözcü Gazetesi, 9 August 2003 (See illustrative cartoon below.) Also see last sentence of the article illustrating hayrete düşmek. the instant response is... Left click for cartoon legibility and complete translation... Şi   şimşekleri (yıldırımları) üstüne/üzerine çekmek to pull on a lightening flash (thunderbolt) to attract strong criticism Böyle yaparsan, üyeleri kızdırır, şimşekleri üstüne çekersin. Başka bir yol tut, en sonra sen konuş toplantıda. If you do (it) like that, it will anger the members and you'll attract a lot of criticism. Choose a different tack [for now], and then you (can) bring it up at the meeting. Şü   şüphe kurdu he/she/it set up doubt the sting of suspicion, (a) gnawing doubt İmtihan pek de kötü geçmemişti ama, yine de kemiren bir şüphe kurdu vardı. The exam wasn't really that bad, but there was still a gnawing doubt that nibbled [at me]. Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index The Idiomatic M-Doublets Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 Unrelated fun: Zerrin Egeliler - (most of) everything you always wanted to know Tarkan's Metamorphosis Album -- Christmas Day Release Turkish Music -- Tarkan Real-Life Weight Loss a la turc (with booklet) Habibullah and the Great Cannon Caper A simple Turkish 'thing'... Turkish Music -- Kayahan Turkish Belly Dancers Turkish Food and Beverage Turkish Terms Of Endearment Turkish Personal Names Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor Off-Color Turkish Gossipy Turkish Who's Who Turkish Conventional and 'Erotik' Movies, Index We wish to extend thanks to Emin Özdemir, Osman Çizmeciler, Ömer Asım Aksoy, H. Fethi Gözler, Ferit Devellioğlu, Nermin and Muammer Yüzbaşıoğlu, Halil Uysal, Ali Püsküllüoğlu, and Ali Uslu for their Turkish Idioms source material -- on which some of this page is based.

Please email us and tell us how we can improve the Learning Practical Turkish Web site.