Bedeutung
Experiencing bad luck due to envy
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'Nazar Boncuğu' is the primary defense against 'göze gelmek'. You will find it in cars, homes, and even as jewelry. Very similar to the Turkish 'Nazar', called 'Mati'. Greeks also use blue eye charms and 'spitting' (ftou ftou) to prevent jinxing. The 'Hamsa' or 'Hand of Fatima' is often used alongside the eye symbol to ward off the envy that causes one to 'come to the eye'. In countries like Bulgaria and Serbia, similar concepts exist where excessive praise is seen as dangerous and can lead to misfortune.
Say Maşallah
Whenever you compliment someone, add 'Maşallah' to show you don't want them to 'göze gelmek'.
Don't use for serious things
If someone loses their job or has a serious accident, 'göze gelmek' might sound too lighthearted. Use 'geçmiş olsun' instead.
Bedeutung
Experiencing bad luck due to envy
Say Maşallah
Whenever you compliment someone, add 'Maşallah' to show you don't want them to 'göze gelmek'.
Don't use for serious things
If someone loses their job or has a serious accident, 'göze gelmek' might sound too lighthearted. Use 'geçmiş olsun' instead.
The '-miş' past tense
Use 'göze gelmişiz' when you realize the bad luck later. It sounds more natural than the direct past tense.
Social Media
If you see a Turkish friend post about a broken item, commenting 'Göze gelmişsin' is a very native-like way to show empathy.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct idiom for the situation: You bought a new phone and it broke the next day.
Yeni telefonum hemen bozuldu, ______.
'Göze gelmek' is used for bad luck following a positive event.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'göze gelmek'.
Çok güzel bir düğün oldu ama gelin sonunda bayıldı, kesin ______ (Past Tense).
The subject is 'gelin' (the bride), so we use the 3rd person singular past tense.
Match the phrase to the most likely situation.
Situation: A student who was the top of the class suddenly fails all exams.
Sudden failure after success is the definition of 'göze gelmek'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Nazara inanır mısın? B: Eskiden inanmazdım ama geçen hafta yeni evimde her şey bozulunca ______ anladım.
The speaker is talking about their own experience of bad luck.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Göze Gelmek vs. Göze Girmek
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenYeni telefonum hemen bozuldu, ______.
'Göze gelmek' is used for bad luck following a positive event.
Çok güzel bir düğün oldu ama gelin sonunda bayıldı, kesin ______ (Past Tense).
The subject is 'gelin' (the bride), so we use the 3rd person singular past tense.
Situation: A student who was the top of the class suddenly fails all exams.
Sudden failure after success is the definition of 'göze gelmek'.
A: Nazara inanır mısın? B: Eskiden inanmazdım ama geçen hafta yeni evimde her şey bozulunca ______ anladım.
The speaker is talking about their own experience of bad luck.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenWhile it has roots in Islamic and pre-Islamic traditions, it is used by secular and religious people alike as a cultural idiom.
Yes, it's very common to say 'Göze geldim' when you experience a personal setback.
There is no functional difference; they are synonyms. 'Göze gelmek' is slightly more idiomatic.
Usually, yes, but it can also be caused by 'excessive admiration' even without bad intent.
Culturally, people use nazar boncuğu, pray, or say 'Maşallah'.
Yes, people often say a beautiful horse or a pet 'came to the eye' if it gets sick.
No, it's neutral/informal. You wouldn't use it in a legal document.
No, objects (cars, houses, phones) can also 'göze gelmek'.
There isn't a direct mystical opposite, but 'şansı yaver gitmek' means to have great luck.
Because the eyes are believed to be the source of the energy that causes the jinx.
Verwandte Redewendungen
nazar değmek
synonymTo be touched by the evil eye
gözü kalmak
similarTo still have one's eye on something (desiring it)
göze girmek
contrastTo find favor in someone's eyes
gözden düşmek
contrastTo fall out of favor
kem göz
builds onEvil eye / Malicious gaze
