B1 Idiom तटस्थ

zaman su gibi akıp geçiyor

time flies like water

मतलब

Expressing that time is passing very quickly.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

Water is considered sacred and a blessing. When someone leaves for a journey, Turks throw water behind them saying 'Su gibi git, su gibi gel' (Go like water, come back like water), meaning 'have a smooth and fast journey.' This idiom shares that positive, fluid association with water. In Divan poetry, time is often compared to a 'seyl' (flood or torrent). The modern idiom is a simplified, more accessible version of these grand poetic metaphors about the transience of life. In fast-paced cities like Istanbul, this phrase is used almost daily to complain about the 'hustle' and how the day disappears between traffic and work. It is a staple of 'altın günleri' (women's social gatherings) and family dinners, where the focus is often on how quickly children are growing or how long it's been since a relative passed away.

💡

Use it for empathy

If someone is complaining about being busy, saying this shows you understand their stress.

⚠️

Don't over-conjugate

Stick to 'geçiyor' (present) or 'geçti' (past). Other tenses are rare.

मतलब

Expressing that time is passing very quickly.

💡

Use it for empathy

If someone is complaining about being busy, saying this shows you understand their stress.

⚠️

Don't over-conjugate

Stick to 'geçiyor' (present) or 'geçti' (past). Other tenses are rare.

🎯

The 'Valla' trick

Adding 'Valla' (By God/Honestly) at the end makes you sound like a native speaker: 'Zaman su gibi akıp geçiyor valla!'

खुद को परखो

Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.

İnanamıyorum, mezuniyetten beri on yıl ______ ______ ______ geçiyor.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: su gibi akıp

The standard idiom is 'su gibi akıp geçiyor'.

Which situation best fits the use of this idiom?

Aşağıdaki durumlardan hangisinde bu deyimi kullanmak en uygundur?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Eski bir arkadaşla yıllar sonra karşılaştığınızda.

The idiom is used when time has passed surprisingly fast, such as between meetings with old friends.

Complete the dialogue naturally.

Ayşe: 'Tatilin nasıl geçti?' Mehmet: 'Harikaydı ama maalesef ______ ______ ______ ______.'

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: zaman su gibi akıp geçti

'Akıp geçti' is the most natural completion for a finished event like a vacation.

Which of the following is a common variation of the phrase?

Hangisi bu deyimin yaygın bir varyasyonudur?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Vakit su gibi akıp geçiyor

'Vakit' is a very common synonym for 'zaman' in this idiom.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

अभ्यास बैंक

4 अभ्यास
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom. Fill Blank B1

İnanamıyorum, mezuniyetten beri on yıl ______ ______ ______ geçiyor.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: su gibi akıp

The standard idiom is 'su gibi akıp geçiyor'.

Which situation best fits the use of this idiom? situation_matching B1

Aşağıdaki durumlardan hangisinde bu deyimi kullanmak en uygundur?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Eski bir arkadaşla yıllar sonra karşılaştığınızda.

The idiom is used when time has passed surprisingly fast, such as between meetings with old friends.

Complete the dialogue naturally. dialogue_completion B1

Ayşe: 'Tatilin nasıl geçti?' Mehmet: 'Harikaydı ama maalesef ______ ______ ______ ______.'

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: zaman su gibi akıp geçti

'Akıp geçti' is the most natural completion for a finished event like a vacation.

Which of the following is a common variation of the phrase? Choose B1

Hangisi bu deyimin yaygın bir varyasyonudur?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: Vakit su gibi akıp geçiyor

'Vakit' is a very common synonym for 'zaman' in this idiom.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

10 सवाल

Yes, if the meeting was 1 hour but felt like 10 minutes, it's perfect.

It's better for spoken business contexts. In a very formal email, use 'zamanın hızla ilerlemesi'.

'Geçiyor' is more about the passage, 'gidiyor' emphasizes that it's gone and won't come back.

Turkish culture has a deep nomadic and agricultural connection to water flow.

No, that's a 'Turklish' mistake. Stick to 'akıyor' or 'geçiyor'.

Yes, similar versions exist in Azerbaijani and Uzbek.

Not inherently, but it's often used with a bit of sadness (nostalgia).

No, only for time or events.

'Zaman' is more modern; 'vakit' is slightly more traditional.

You can say 'Eğlenirken zaman su gibi akıp geçiyor.'

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔄

göz açıp kapayıncaya kadar

synonym

In the blink of an eye

🔗

vakit nakittir

contrast

Time is money

🔗

zaman her şeyin ilacıdır

similar

Time is the healer of all things

🔗

gününü gün etmek

builds on

To make the most of the day

क्या यह मददगार था?
अभी तक कोई टिप्पणी नहीं। अपने विचार साझा करने वाले पहले व्यक्ति बनें!