Signification
Focusing on your own tasks.
Contexte culturel
In Turkish offices, 'işine bakmak' is often seen as a virtue. It implies that the employee is not involved in 'gıybet' (backbiting) or office politics. The 'Mahalle' culture involves high social surveillance. 'İşine bakmak' is the primary way individuals resist this surveillance. On Turkish social media, 'İşine bak' is a common way to end an argument with someone you consider irrelevant. Historically, an 'esnaf' who didn't 'look at his work' was considered to be failing his religious and social duties.
The 'Kendi' Rule
Add 'kendi' (own) if you want to sound more defensive or firm. Leave it out if you just want to encourage focus.
Tone Matters
If you say this with a smile, it's advice. If you say it with a frown, it's a fight starter.
Signification
Focusing on your own tasks.
The 'Kendi' Rule
Add 'kendi' (own) if you want to sound more defensive or firm. Leave it out if you just want to encourage focus.
Tone Matters
If you say this with a smile, it's advice. If you say it with a frown, it's a fight starter.
The Elder Exception
Never say this to someone older than you in Turkey unless you want to be labeled as 'saygısız' (disrespectful).
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'işine bakmak'.
Sen başkalarını boşver, sadece kendi ______.
The phrase requires the possessive 'in' and the dative '-e'.
Which situation is MOST appropriate for the phrase 'İşinize bakın'?
A manager wants to tell their employees to stop chatting and start working.
It is a neutral-to-formal way to direct focus in a professional setting.
Complete the dialogue.
Ayşe: 'Dün gece neden geç geldin?' Mehmet: 'Ayşe, lütfen ______.'
Mehmet is telling Ayşe to mind her own business regarding his private life.
Match the phrase to the intent.
Match 'İşime bakıyorum' with its intent.
'İşime bakıyorum' means I am attending to my own duties.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesSen başkalarını boşver, sadece kendi ______.
The phrase requires the possessive 'in' and the dative '-e'.
A manager wants to tell their employees to stop chatting and start working.
It is a neutral-to-formal way to direct focus in a professional setting.
Ayşe: 'Dün gece neden geç geldin?' Mehmet: 'Ayşe, lütfen ______.'
Mehmet is telling Ayşe to mind her own business regarding his private life.
Match 'İşime bakıyorum' with its intent.
'İşime bakıyorum' means I am attending to my own duties.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt can be. To a friend or colleague, it's often neutral advice. To a stranger or elder, it's quite rude.
'Kendi' adds emphasis, making it more clearly about 'your own' business versus others'.
No, it's better to use more formal phrases like 'İşimle ilgileniyorum'.
You can say 'Bu konuyla ben ilgileniyorum, teşekkürler' or 'Lütfen müdahale etmeyin'.
No, 'iş' here refers to any task, responsibility, or personal matter.
İşinize bakın.
Yes, 'Yoluna bak' or 'İşine bak, ikile'.
Generally no, unless you are a manager giving a firm directive to staff.
It always takes the dative case (-e).
Yes, many Turkish pop and rap songs use it to dismiss critics.
Expressions liées
işinde gücünde olmak
similarTo be busy with one's work and lead a quiet life.
işini bilmek
builds onTo be clever/shrewd in one's work.
başının çaresine bakmak
similarTo look after oneself / solve one's own problems.
yoluna bakmak
synonymTo go on one's way / mind one's business.
işi başından aşkın olmak
relatedTo be extremely busy.
