Signification
Reacting positively to good news.
Contexte culturel
Turkish culture is 'collectivist,' meaning individual joy is shared. Not reacting to good news is seen as a sign of 'haset' (envy). Using this phrase protects the social bond. In Turkish, 'güzel' is a Swiss-army-knife word. It covers 'good,' 'beautiful,' 'nice,' 'fine,' and 'okay.' It reflects an aestheticized view of life. In Turkish offices, this phrase is a safe way to bridge the gap between a subordinate and a superior. It shows respect without being sycophantic. In WhatsApp groups, Turks often use 'Bunu duymak güzel' followed by several 'clapping' or 'heart' emojis to show group solidarity.
The 'Çok' Booster
Add 'çok' before 'güzel' (Bunu duymak çok güzel) to sound extra enthusiastic and sincere.
Avoid 'İyi'
Never say 'Bunu duymak iyi.' It sounds like a robot translating from English. Always stick with 'güzel.'
Signification
Reacting positively to good news.
The 'Çok' Booster
Add 'çok' before 'güzel' (Bunu duymak çok güzel) to sound extra enthusiastic and sincere.
Avoid 'İyi'
Never say 'Bunu duymak iyi.' It sounds like a robot translating from English. Always stick with 'güzel.'
Body Language
Pair this phrase with a slight nod and a smile. In Turkish culture, facial expressions are half the communication.
Teste-toi
Complete the sentence to react to your friend's good news.
Arkadaşın: 'Sınavı geçtim!' Sen: 'Harika! Bunu ______ güzel.'
We use 'duymak' (to hear) when reacting to news.
Which response is most appropriate for a colleague saying they finished a project?
İş arkadaşın: 'Projeyi bitirdim.'
'Güle güle' is for saying goodbye, 'Afiyet olsun' is for food, and 'Geçmiş olsun' is for illness.
Match the situation with the best variation of the phrase.
1. Best friend gets married. 2. Colleague says the coffee is ready. 3. Someone says they are feeling better after a cold.
Big news gets 'Çok sevindim', minor relief gets 'İyi bari', and health updates get 'Bunu duymak güzel'.
Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.
A: Annem iyileşti, yarın eve geliyor. B: Gerçekten mi? ______ ______ ______.
While 'bilmek' (to know) is grammatically correct, 'duymak' is the idiomatic standard.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesArkadaşın: 'Sınavı geçtim!' Sen: 'Harika! Bunu ______ güzel.'
We use 'duymak' (to hear) when reacting to news.
İş arkadaşın: 'Projeyi bitirdim.'
'Güle güle' is for saying goodbye, 'Afiyet olsun' is for food, and 'Geçmiş olsun' is for illness.
1. Best friend gets married. 2. Colleague says the coffee is ready. 3. Someone says they are feeling better after a cold.
Big news gets 'Çok sevindim', minor relief gets 'İyi bari', and health updates get 'Bunu duymak güzel'.
A: Annem iyileşti, yarın eve geliyor. B: Gerçekten mi? ______ ______ ______.
While 'bilmek' (to know) is grammatically correct, 'duymak' is the idiomatic standard.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsYes, but be careful. Saying 'Bunu duymak güzel' when someone says they failed can be very offensive unless you are joking with a very close friend.
It is 'Bunu' (accusative) because you are hearing 'this' as a direct object. 'Buna' (dative) would be used with verbs like 'bakmak' (to look at this).
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss, your mother-in-law, or your best friend. It is never 'wrong' in terms of formality.
'Duymak' is the modern, everyday word. 'İşitmek' is older and more formal, often found in literature or legal contexts.
Yes, that is also very common. It is slightly more emotional and personal ('I am happy') whereas 'Bunu duymak güzel' is more about the news itself ('It is good').
Expressions liées
Bunu duyduğuma sevindim
similarI am happy to hear this.
Ne güzel
synonymHow nice!
Memnun oldum
contrastNice to meet you.
Hayırlı olsun
specialized formMay it be auspicious.
Gözün aydın
similarGood news for you!
