Signification
Commenting on the high price of something.
Contexte culturel
In Turkey, bargaining is not just about saving money; it's a social interaction. Saying 'biraz pahalı' is the polite way to invite the seller to offer a 'brother's price' (kardeş payı). When hosting, Turks will never say their food or gifts were 'pahalı.' However, a guest might say 'biraz pahalı' to express guilt that the host spent too much money on them. With recent economic changes, 'biraz pahalı' has become a meme on Turkish social media, often used sarcastically for things that are actually astronomically expensive. It is common to leave the price tag on a gift in some cultures, but in Turkey, it's strictly removed. If someone asks the price, you might downplay it by saying it wasn't 'pahalı' even if it was.
The 'Geldi' Trick
Always add 'geldi' after 'biraz pahalı' to sound like a local. It shifts the 'blame' of the high price to your perception rather than the seller's greed.
Avoid 'Küçük'
Never say 'küçük pahalı.' It's the #1 sign of a beginner. Stick to 'biraz.'
Signification
Commenting on the high price of something.
The 'Geldi' Trick
Always add 'geldi' after 'biraz pahalı' to sound like a local. It shifts the 'blame' of the high price to your perception rather than the seller's greed.
Avoid 'Küçük'
Never say 'küçük pahalı.' It's the #1 sign of a beginner. Stick to 'biraz.'
Body Language
When saying 'biraz pahalı' in a market, a slight shrug or a 'tsk' sound (sucking the tongue against the roof of the mouth) adds emphasis.
Teste-toi
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
Müşteri: Bu gömlek kaç para? Satıcı: 1200 Lira efendim. Müşteri: Ooo, ________. İndirim yapar mısınız?
The customer is asking for a discount, so they must think the price is high. 'Biraz pahalı' is the polite way to start this.
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
Bu telefon çok güzel ama bana biraz pahalı ______.
The verb 'gelmek' is used with 'pahalı' to mean 'it seemed/felt expensive to me.'
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a market and the tomatoes are 100 TL per kilo. You want to complain politely.
100 TL is high for tomatoes, so 'biraz pahalı' is the appropriate polite complaint.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the correct word order.
The standard order is Subject + Quantifier + Adjective.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Biraz Pahalı vs. Çok Pahalı
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMüşteri: Bu gömlek kaç para? Satıcı: 1200 Lira efendim. Müşteri: Ooo, ________. İndirim yapar mısınız?
The customer is asking for a discount, so they must think the price is high. 'Biraz pahalı' is the polite way to start this.
Bu telefon çok güzel ama bana biraz pahalı ______.
The verb 'gelmek' is used with 'pahalı' to mean 'it seemed/felt expensive to me.'
You are at a market and the tomatoes are 100 TL per kilo. You want to complain politely.
100 TL is high for tomatoes, so 'biraz pahalı' is the appropriate polite complaint.
Select the correct word order.
The standard order is Subject + Quantifier + Adjective.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsNo, it's actually the polite way to say something is expensive. It's much softer than 'çok pahalı.'
No, 'pahalı' is only for objects or services. For a 'high-maintenance' person, you'd use different terms.
The opposite is 'biraz ucuz' (a little cheap) or 'uygun' (affordable).
Follow it with 'İndirim yapar mısınız?' (Would you do a discount?)
'Tuzlu' is slang. Use 'biraz pahalı' with strangers and 'tuzlu' with friends.
Yes, in 99% of cases, the quantifier comes before the adjective.
It's better to say 'Beklentimin biraz üzerinde' (A bit above my expectation).
It means 'expensive as fire,' used for extreme prices.
It means 'it came across as expensive to me.' It's a very common idiomatic structure.
Yes, it is standard Turkish used from Istanbul to Erzurum.
Yes, 'Hesap biraz pahalı geldi' is a common way to question a bill.
It is considered A2 because it involves basic shopping and expressing opinions.
Expressions liées
Çok pahalı
builds onVery expensive
Uygun
contrastAffordable/Suitable
Tuzlu
synonymPricey (slang)
Ateş pahası
specialized formExtremely expensive
Bedava
contrastFree
