Signification
Feeling fear.
Contexte culturel
When someone is very scared, Turks might say 'Ödüm koptu' (My gallbladder burst). Historically, the gallbladder was thought to be the seat of courage. The Turkish National Anthem starts with 'Korkma!' (Don't fear!). This sets a tone of bravery and resilience for the entire nation. If a child is constantly afraid, families might perform 'kurşun dökme' (lead pouring) to identify and remove the source of the fear. In Turkish culture, admitting fear is seen as very honest and vulnerable, often leading to immediate protective behavior from others.
The '-den' Rule
Always associate 'korkmak' with '-den'. Think of fear as something coming FROM an object toward you.
Don't use 'I am fear'
In Turkish, you are not 'fearful' (adjective), you 'fear' (verb). Avoid 'Korku yum'.
Signification
Feeling fear.
The '-den' Rule
Always associate 'korkmak' with '-den'. Think of fear as something coming FROM an object toward you.
Don't use 'I am fear'
In Turkish, you are not 'fearful' (adjective), you 'fear' (verb). Avoid 'Korku yum'.
Mastering 'Korkma'
Use 'Korkma' as a filler to sound more native when someone is hesitant about trying a new food or going somewhere.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct ablative suffix (-den, -dan, -ten, -tan).
Ben örümcek____ korkuyorum.
Örümcek ends in 'k' (hard consonant) and has 'e' (front vowel), so '-ten' is correct.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
How do you say 'I am afraid of the dark'?
The verb 'korkmak' always takes the ablative case (-tan).
Complete the dialogue.
Ahmet: Bu film çok korkunç! Mehmet: ________, ben yanındayım.
'Korkma' means 'Don't be afraid', which fits the context of comforting someone.
Match the fear to the source.
Uçak (Plane)
Fearing planes is usually related to 'yükseklik' (height).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Korkmak vs. Çekinmek
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesBen örümcek____ korkuyorum.
Örümcek ends in 'k' (hard consonant) and has 'e' (front vowel), so '-ten' is correct.
How do you say 'I am afraid of the dark'?
The verb 'korkmak' always takes the ablative case (-tan).
Ahmet: Bu film çok korkunç! Mehmet: ________, ben yanındayım.
'Korkma' means 'Don't be afraid', which fits the context of comforting someone.
Uçak (Plane)
Fearing planes is usually related to 'yükseklik' (height).
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, but only in the fixed form 'Korkarım ki...'. For general polite refusals, use 'Maalesef'.
'Korkmak' is a general state of fear. 'Ürkmek' is being startled or spooked suddenly.
No! You must say 'Senden korkuyorum'.
Usually, but like 'terrible' in English, it can sometimes mean 'huge' or 'intense' in slang.
You use the suffix '-suz', making it 'korkusuz'.
It's an exhortation to the nation to remain brave during the War of Independence.
It means to be intimidated or discouraged by a previous bad experience.
It's better to use 'endişelenmek' for mental worry, but 'korkmak' is okay for strong anxiety.
'Endişe duymak' or 'Hafakanlar basmak' (very old/dramatic) are more formal/literary.
Korktum, korktun, korktu, korktuk, korktunuz, korktular.
It's a 'horror house' or escape room with a horror theme, very popular in Turkish cities.
Yes, in the present continuous: Kork-u-y-orum.
Only in 'Allah korkusu' (fear of God). Otherwise, use 'saygı duymak'.
Yes, it means 'coward' and is generally offensive.
Expressions liées
Ürkmek
similarTo be startled or spooked
Çekinmek
similarTo hesitate or be shy
Dehşete düşmek
specialized formTo be terrified/horrified
Endişelenmek
similarTo worry
Yılmak
builds onTo be daunted or give up due to fear
