Bedeutung
Preventing someone from succeeding.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In many Turkish offices, competition can be indirect. Instead of open confrontation, people might use 'çelme takmak' (sabotage) to influence the manager's opinion. Football is the most popular sport in Turkey. Commentators use 'çelme takmak' both for physical fouls and when a small team beats a big team, 'tripping up' their championship run. The term 'çelme' is a technical term in oil wrestling. It is one of the many ways to bring an opponent to the ground, showing the idiom's deep historical roots. There is a cultural belief that sharing your success too early might lead others to 'trip you up' out of jealousy. This leads to a culture of keeping plans secret until they are finalized.
Use with Possessives
Always remember to change the possessive suffix on 'ayak' to match the person being sabotaged (ayağıma, ayağına, ayağına, ayağımıza, ayağınıza, ayaklarına).
Accusation Heavy
This is a strong idiom. Using it in a professional setting is a direct accusation of bad intent. Use 'engel olmak' if you want to be more polite.
Bedeutung
Preventing someone from succeeding.
Use with Possessives
Always remember to change the possessive suffix on 'ayak' to match the person being sabotaged (ayağıma, ayağına, ayağına, ayağımıza, ayağınıza, ayaklarına).
Accusation Heavy
This is a strong idiom. Using it in a professional setting is a direct accusation of bad intent. Use 'engel olmak' if you want to be more polite.
Sports Commentary
If you watch Turkish football, listen for this phrase. It's used every time there is a foul or an unexpected loss.
Visualizing Sabotage
Think of it as 'tripping' someone who is running a race. It implies they were doing well until the interference.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
Mehmet, terfi almamı istemediği için sürekli ______ ______ ______.
Since the speaker is talking about 'my promotion' (terfi almamı), the victim is 'me' (ayağıma).
Which situation best fits the idiom 'ayağına çelme takmak'?
Aşağıdaki durumlardan hangisinde bu deyim kullanılır?
The idiom means to secretly try to ruin someone's work or progress.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Neden bu kadar üzgünsün? B: İş yerinde çok hırslı biri var, sürekli ______.
The context implies someone is doing something to the speaker (B).
Match the sentence to the context.
Match: 'Hakem penaltı verdi çünkü oyuncu rakibine çelme taktı.'
The mention of a referee (hakem) and penalty (penaltı) indicates a sports context.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Tripping vs. Sliding
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMehmet, terfi almamı istemediği için sürekli ______ ______ ______.
Since the speaker is talking about 'my promotion' (terfi almamı), the victim is 'me' (ayağıma).
Aşağıdaki durumlardan hangisinde bu deyim kullanılır?
The idiom means to secretly try to ruin someone's work or progress.
A: Neden bu kadar üzgünsün? B: İş yerinde çok hırslı biri var, sürekli ______.
The context implies someone is doing something to the speaker (B).
Match: 'Hakem penaltı verdi çünkü oyuncu rakibine çelme taktı.'
The mention of a referee (hakem) and penalty (penaltı) indicates a sports context.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it is almost always used for people or groups (like companies or political parties).
It's not 'vulgar', but it is an accusation. It implies the other person is being sneaky.
'Takmak' is more common for the figurative meaning; 'atmak' is often used for the physical act in sports.
Yes, you can use it for plans or projects, meaning someone sabotaged them.
No, this idiom is inherently negative.
You can say 'Ayağıma çelme takıldı' (passive) or 'Biri ayağıma çelme taktı' (active).
It is common in journalism and novels, but less so in strictly academic papers.
Figuratively, yes—it implies they failed or were delayed significantly.
No, you would use 'kendi ayağına sıkmak' (to shoot oneself in the foot) for that.
Yes, it is a universal idiom across all regions and dialects.
Verwandte Redewendungen
ayağını kaydırmak
similarTo cause someone to lose their job or position.
önüne taş koymak
synonymTo put obstacles in someone's way.
kuyu kazmak
similarTo dig a pit for someone (to plot against them).
tekerine çomak sokmak
similarTo put a stick in someone's wheel.
köstek olmak
contrastTo be a hindrance.
