Signification
Suggesting a relaxed pace.
Contexte culturel
Tea is never drunk quickly in Turkey. If you finish your tea too fast, the host will immediately refill it. Saying 'yavaş gidelim' during a tea session means you want to stretch the conversation. Istanbul drivers are known for being aggressive. 'Yavaş gidelim' is a common phrase used by mothers, grandparents, and tourists to keep drivers in check. Keyif is the art of doing nothing or doing something very slowly for pure pleasure. 'Yavaş gidelim' is the verbal invitation to enter a state of keyif. In rural Anatolia, rushing a guest is considered rude. A host might say 'Yavaş gidelim' to imply there is no need for the guest to leave or finish their meal quickly.
The 'Mi' Softener
Adding 'mi?' at the end ('Yavaş gidelim mi?') makes it a polite question rather than a suggestion, which is much better for social harmony.
Don't use with 'Dur'
Saying 'Dur, yavaş gidelim' is contradictory. Use one or the other depending on if you want to stop or just slow down.
Signification
Suggesting a relaxed pace.
The 'Mi' Softener
Adding 'mi?' at the end ('Yavaş gidelim mi?') makes it a polite question rather than a suggestion, which is much better for social harmony.
Don't use with 'Dur'
Saying 'Dur, yavaş gidelim' is contradictory. Use one or the other depending on if you want to stop or just slow down.
The Double Yavaş
Using 'Yavaş yavaş gidelim' sounds much more natural and 'Turkish' than the single version in casual conversation.
Teste-toi
Which phrase would you use to tell a taxi driver to slow down?
Şoför bey, çok hızlı gidiyoruz. Lütfen _______.
'Yavaş gidelim' is the standard way to request a lower speed in a vehicle.
Complete the dialogue between two people on a first date.
Ayşe: 'Seninle hemen evlenmek istiyorum!' Mehmet: 'Dur bir dakika Ayşe, henüz yeni tanıştık. _______.'
Mehmet is suggesting they take the relationship slow.
Match the situation to the correct phrase.
Situation: You are hiking and your friend is walking too fast for you.
You use this to ask for a slower physical pace.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'gitmek' in the optative mood.
Yollar çok kalabalık, yavaş _______.
The optative mood '-elim' is used for suggestions.
Match the Turkish phrase with its English equivalent.
1. Yavaş gidelim, 2. Acele etme, 3. Sakin ol
These are all related to pacing and temperament.
🎉 Score : /5
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesŞoför bey, çok hızlı gidiyoruz. Lütfen _______.
'Yavaş gidelim' is the standard way to request a lower speed in a vehicle.
Ayşe: 'Seninle hemen evlenmek istiyorum!' Mehmet: 'Dur bir dakika Ayşe, henüz yeni tanıştık. _______.'
Mehmet is suggesting they take the relationship slow.
Situation: You are hiking and your friend is walking too fast for you.
You use this to ask for a slower physical pace.
Yollar çok kalabalık, yavaş _______.
The optative mood '-elim' is used for suggestions.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are all related to pacing and temperament.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsTechnically yes, but 'Yavaş konuşalım' or 'Biraz yavaş konuşur musunuz?' is more specific and common.
No, it is generally neutral. However, your tone of voice matters. A soft tone makes it a suggestion; a loud tone makes it a command.
'Yavaş gidelim' can be physical or figurative. 'Yavaştan alalım' is almost always figurative, meaning 'let's start this process slowly.'
You would say 'Hızlı gidelim' or 'Acele edelim.'
Yes, but it's better to say 'Bu süreçte daha temkinli ilerleyelim' to sound more professional.
The '-elim' suffix is the first-person plural optative ('let's'). The 't' in 'git' becomes 'd' because it's followed by a vowel.
Yes, many Turkish pop and rock songs use it as a metaphor for not rushing into love.
Yes, that means 'You (plural/formal) go slow.' It's an order or a piece of advice.
It's a slang idiom meaning 'Slow down, don't overexert yourself,' often used when someone is eating or working too fast.
No, for internet you would say 'İnternet çok yavaş' (The internet is very slow).
Expressions liées
Yavaş yavaş
similarSlowly, gradually, or step-by-step.
Yavaştan almak
synonymTo take something slow from the start.
Acele işe şeytan karışır
builds onThe devil interferes in hurried work.
Hızlı gitmek
contrastTo go fast.
Ağırdan almak
similarTo stall or move very deliberately.
