المعنى
To have no business or work in a shop.
خلفية ثقافية
The 'esnaf' (small shopkeeper) is a central figure in Turkish society. They often sit in front of their shops on small stools, drinking tea and chatting with neighbors when business is slow. When a shopkeeper is 'hunting flies,' they will almost certainly be drinking tea. It is common for one shopkeeper to order tea for the whole row of shops to pass the time together. Turkish people often use humor and idioms to cope with economic hardship. 'Sinek avlamak' is a way to complain without sounding too desperate. In historical bazaars like the Grand Bazaar, the lack of tourists or locals is immediately described with this phrase by the thousands of merchants there.
Use with 'Resmen'
Adding 'resmen' (literally/truly) before the phrase adds native-like emphasis: 'Resmen sinek avlıyoruz!'
Not for People
Don't say a person is 'sinek avlıyor' unless they are in their place of work. It describes the state of the business.
المعنى
To have no business or work in a shop.
Use with 'Resmen'
Adding 'resmen' (literally/truly) before the phrase adds native-like emphasis: 'Resmen sinek avlıyoruz!'
Not for People
Don't say a person is 'sinek avlıyor' unless they are in their place of work. It describes the state of the business.
The 'Esnaf' Vibe
Use this when talking to taxi drivers or small shop owners to immediately build rapport; they love complaining about 'sinek avlamak'.
اختبر نفسك
Which situation is most appropriate for the phrase 'sinek avlamak'?
Ahmet is a barber. Today, no one came for a haircut.
Since no customers came, the idiom 'sinek avlamak' perfectly describes his situation.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
Ekonomik kriz yüzünden bütün çarşı esnafı aylardır ______.
The present continuous 'sinek avlıyor' fits the context of an ongoing situation.
Match the idiom to the correct context.
Context: A restaurant with zero customers at 8 PM.
'Sinek avlamak' refers to lack of business.
Complete the dialogue.
Ayşe: 'Yeni açtığın butik nasıl gidiyor?' Mehmet: 'Maalesef hiç iyi değil, akşama kadar ______.'
The context 'hiç iyi değil' (not good at all) suggests the idiom for no business.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Crowded vs. Empty
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينAhmet is a barber. Today, no one came for a haircut.
Since no customers came, the idiom 'sinek avlamak' perfectly describes his situation.
Ekonomik kriz yüzünden bütün çarşı esnafı aylardır ______.
The present continuous 'sinek avlıyor' fits the context of an ongoing situation.
Context: A restaurant with zero customers at 8 PM.
'Sinek avlamak' refers to lack of business.
Ayşe: 'Yeni açtığın butik nasıl gidiyor?' Mehmet: 'Maalesef hiç iyi değil, akşama kadar ______.'
The context 'hiç iyi değil' (not good at all) suggests the idiom for no business.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةIt's usually for small shops, but you can use it sarcastically for a big store if it's surprisingly empty.
No, it's not rude, but it is informal. Don't use it in a formal business report.
No! It has nothing to do with hygiene. It only refers to the lack of customers.
You could say 'iğne atsan yere düşmez' (if you threw a needle, it wouldn't hit the ground) to describe a very crowded place.
Yes! If no one is liking your posts, you can jokingly say 'Sayfam sinek avlıyor.'
Yes, in this idiom, we say 'sinek avlamak', never 'sinekleri avlamak'.
Yes, if there are no patients, you can use it.
Not necessarily, it could just be a slow Tuesday afternoon.
Yes, it is a universal Turkish idiom.
Yes: 'Bu gidişle sinek avlayacağız' (At this rate, we'll be hunting flies).
عبارات ذات صلة
işler kesat
synonymbusiness is dull
siftah yapmamak
similarto not have made the first sale of the day
boş oturmak
similarto sit idly
müşteri velinimetimizdir
contrastthe customer is our benefactor
para basmak
contrastto make a lot of money (literally: to print money)
