Turkish Proverbs, Idioms, and Sayings with English Equivalents

Proverbs, idioms, and sayings play an important role in every language and culture. Many Turkish proverbs and idioms have close equivalents in English, even though they are expressed with different words. In this post, you will find a carefully selected collection of Turkish proverbs, idioms, and sayings with their English equivalents. In some cases, alternative equivalents may exist in American and British English.

Instead of literal word-for-word translations, the focus is on conveying the true meaning of each expression as it is used in real life, so that learners can understand them when they hear them in movies, TV series, and everyday conversations.

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Turkish Proverb / Idiom / Saying	English Equivalent
Ağaç yaşken eğilir.	You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
Aklın yolu birdir.	Great minds think alike.
Altın yumurtlayan tavuğu kesmek.	Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Armut dibine düşer.	The apple never falls far from the tree.
Aşkın gözü kördür.	Love is blind.
Ateş olmayan yerden duman çıkmaz.	Where there is smoke, there is fire.
Baklayı ağzında çıkarmak.	Spill the beans.
Balık baştan kokar.	Corruption starts at the top.
Balık kavağa çıkınca.	Cold day in hell. / When pigs fly.
Bir taşla iki kuş vurmak.	Kill two birds with one stone.
Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var.	Two heads are better than one.
Can kulağı ile dinlemek.	Be all ears.
Devede kulak.	A drop in the bucket.
Dikensiz gül olmaz.	No rose without a thorn.
Eldeki kuş daldaki kuştan iyidir.	Bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
Erken kalkan yol alır.	The early bird catches the worm.
Gözden ırak olan gönülden de ırak olur.	Out of sight, out of mind.
Göze göz, dişe diş.	Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Haydan gelen huya gider.	Easy come, easy go.
İki yanlış bir doğru yapmaz.	Two wrongs don't make a right.
İyi dost kara günde belli olur.	A friend in need is a friend indeed.
İyi (x) Kötü gün dostu.	Fair (x) Foul-weather friend.
Kalem kılıçtan keskindir.	The pen is mightier than the sword.
Kaşla göz arasında.	Before you can say Jack Robinson.
Katır gibi inatçı.	Obstinate as mule.
Keskin sirke küpüne zarar.	Anger punishes itself.
Kırk yılda bir.	Once a blue moon.
Kötü haber tez yayılır.	Bad news travels fast.
Kuzguna yavrusu şahin görünür.	All his geese are swans.
Lafla peynir gemisi yürümez.	Action speaks louder than words.
Olmuşla ölmüşe çare yok.	No use crying over spilled milk.
Öğrenmenin yaşı yoktur.	It’s never late to learn.
Sabreden derviş muradına ermiş.	Patient men win the day.
Samanlıkta iğne aramak.	Look for a needle in a haystack.
Saat gibi dakik.	Regular as a clockwork.
Son gülen iyi güler.	He who laughs last, laughs longest.
Sütten ağzı yanan, yoğurdu üfleyerek yer.	A burnt child dreads the fire.
Temizlik imandandır.	Cleanliness next to godliness.
Tereciye tere satmak.	Sell ice to Eskimos/sand to Arabs.
Ters tarafından kalmak.	Get up on the wrong side of the bed.
Timsah gözyaşları dökmek.	Shed crocodile tears.
Vakit nakittir.	Time is money.
Yarası olan gocunur.	If the shoe fits, wear it.
Yerin kulağı vardır.	Walls have ears.
Yuvayı dişi kuş yapar.	Wife is the key of a house.
Zaman her şeyin ilacıdır.	Time is a great healer.
Zararın neresinden dönersen kârdır.	It is never too late to mend.