Bedeutung
I am currently busy with something.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Directly saying 'No' (Hayır) can be seen as cold. 'İşim var' provides a 'soft landing' for the person being rejected. In Turkish offices, 'işim var' is often used to signal that one is working hard, which is a valued trait, even if the 'work' is just organizing files. Parents use 'işim var' to teach children boundaries and respect for adult responsibilities. On WhatsApp, sending a quick 'İşim var' is considered more polite than leaving someone on 'read' (seen).
Add 'Biraz'
Adding 'biraz' (a little) before 'işim var' makes the refusal sound much softer and more polite.
Tone Matters
If you say it too fast and walk away, it can be rude. Pair it with a smile or a 'kusura bakma' (sorry).
Bedeutung
I am currently busy with something.
Add 'Biraz'
Adding 'biraz' (a little) before 'işim var' makes the refusal sound much softer and more polite.
Tone Matters
If you say it too fast and walk away, it can be rude. Pair it with a smile or a 'kusura bakma' (sorry).
The 'Acil' Card
If you really need to leave a boring conversation, say 'Acil bir işim çıktı' (An urgent matter came up). No one will ask questions.
Vagueness is Key
Don't feel the need to explain what the 'iş' is. In Turkey, 'işim var' is a complete sentence.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'işim var'.
Üzgünüm, bu akşam seninle sinemaya gelemem çünkü ______.
The context 'gelemem' (I can't come) requires an excuse like 'işim var'.
Which sentence means 'I was busy yesterday'?
Dün çok ______.
'Vardı' is the past tense of 'var'.
Complete the dialogue with a polite refusal.
A: Yarın pikniğe gidiyoruz, gelir misin? B: ______
This is the most natural and polite way to decline in Turkish.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at work and your boss gives you a new task, but you are already working on something.
This is professional and polite.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
İşim Var vs. Meşgulüm
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenÜzgünüm, bu akşam seninle sinemaya gelemem çünkü ______.
The context 'gelemem' (I can't come) requires an excuse like 'işim var'.
Dün çok ______.
'Vardı' is the past tense of 'var'.
A: Yarın pikniğe gidiyoruz, gelir misin? B: ______
This is the most natural and polite way to decline in Turkish.
You are at work and your boss gives you a new task, but you are already working on something.
This is professional and polite.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it can mean any task, from doing laundry to going to the bank or even just having a personal matter to attend to.
It's better to say 'Şu an bir işle meşgulüm' or 'Elimde bir iş var' to sound more professional.
Simply say 'İşim yok.' This is the common way to say you are free.
'İşim var' is more common in daily speech and sounds more personal. 'Meşgulüm' is more formal and literal.
Yes, you can say 'Yarın işim var' to mean 'I will be busy tomorrow.'
It's a cultural tool for politeness and maintaining social boundaries without causing offense.
Technically yes, it's a socially acceptable white lie to get some rest.
Add 'çok' or 'acil': 'Çok acil bir işim var!'
Yes, 'İşlerim var' means 'I have [multiple] things to do.'
You can say 'Özel bir iş' (A private matter) if you don't want to share.
Verwandte Redewendungen
meşgulüm
synonymI am busy
vaktim yok
similarI don't have time
acelem var
similarI am in a hurry
işim bitti
contrastMy work is finished
işler güçler
specialized formWork and stuff
