Signification
Working with great effort.
Contexte culturel
In Turkey, 'canla başla' is often associated with the concept of 'helal kazanç' (rightfully earned income). Working with this level of effort is seen as a moral duty. The phrase has roots in the Janissary and Ottoman military culture, where soldiers were expected to serve the Sultan with their 'can' (life) and 'baş' (head). In modern Turkish business culture, especially in startups, this phrase is used to signal 'hustle' and loyalty to the company's vision. During the 2023 earthquakes, this phrase was the most used term in news media to describe the tireless work of rescue teams.
Use it in Interviews
This phrase is a 'magic word' in Turkish job interviews. It shows you are not just looking for a paycheck but are dedicated.
Don't use 've'
Never say 'can ve başla'. It breaks the idiomatic flow and sounds like a non-native speaker.
Signification
Working with great effort.
Use it in Interviews
This phrase is a 'magic word' in Turkish job interviews. It shows you are not just looking for a paycheck but are dedicated.
Don't use 've'
Never say 'can ve başla'. It breaks the idiomatic flow and sounds like a non-native speaker.
Praise Others
Use this to praise your Turkish friends' efforts. They will be very impressed by your vocabulary choice.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blanks with the correct idiom.
Yeni projemizi bitirmek için ______ ______ çalışıyoruz.
'Canla başla' is used for working hard on a project.
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Aşağıdakilerden hangisi doğrudur?
The phrase is used for meaningful, intense effort, not trivial activities.
Complete the dialogue.
Ayşe: Yarınki sunum hazır mı? Mehmet: Evet, tüm gece ______ ______ uğraştım ve bitirdim.
Mehmet worked hard all night, so 'canla başla' is appropriate.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Bir itfaiyecinin yangını söndürmeye çalışması.
Firefighters work with extreme dedication and effort.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Effort Levels in Turkish
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesYeni projemizi bitirmek için ______ ______ çalışıyoruz.
'Canla başla' is used for working hard on a project.
Aşağıdakilerden hangisi doğrudur?
The phrase is used for meaningful, intense effort, not trivial activities.
Ayşe: Yarınki sunum hazır mı? Mehmet: Evet, tüm gece ______ ______ uğraştım ve bitirdim.
Mehmet worked hard all night, so 'canla başla' is appropriate.
Bir itfaiyecinin yangını söndürmeye çalışması.
Firefighters work with extreme dedication and effort.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it's perfectly fine to use with friends when talking about something important like an exam or a new hobby.
Yes! It's very common in sports to describe a team playing with high energy.
'Çok çalışmak' is just 'working a lot'. 'Canla başla' implies passion, sincerity, and giving your all.
Usually no. It has a positive connotation of noble effort.
Yes, it's very common in newspapers, books, and formal letters.
Literally it means 'soul' or 'life force', but in this context, it functions similarly to 'heart' in English.
No, the possessive suffixes are not used in this fixed idiom.
A slang equivalent would be 'eşek gibi çalışmak' (working like a donkey), but it's much less polite.
It's exactly like the 'sh' in 'sheep'.
Yes, it has been used for hundreds of years, but it's still very modern.
Expressions liées
vargücüyle
synonymWith all one's strength
dişini tırnağına takmak
similarTo work under very hard conditions
el birliğiyle
builds onTogether/In unity
baş başa
contrastAlone/Face to face
