Significado
To keep a promise or follow rules.
Contexto cultural
In traditional Turkish markets, a 'söz' is as good as a contract. An 'esnaf' who breaks his word loses his reputation and 'bereket' (blessing/abundance). Many folk songs (türkü) and stories revolve around lovers who wait for years because of a 'söz'. Breaking it is seen as a betrayal of the soul. Even in modern Istanbul offices, saying 'Sözümüzü çiğnemeyiz' is a way to signal that you value long-term relationships over short-term profit. The father figure in a Turkish household is often expected to be the 'sözünün eri' (man of his word). His authority is tied to his reliability.
The Negative is Positive
Remember that in this idiom, the negative form 'çiğnememek' is the positive trait. If you say someone 'çiğnedi', you are insulting them!
Possessive Suffixes
Always check your subject. If you say 'Sözünü çiğnemem', it means 'I won't break HIS word', which makes no sense. Use 'Sözümü çiğnemem'.
Significado
To keep a promise or follow rules.
The Negative is Positive
Remember that in this idiom, the negative form 'çiğnememek' is the positive trait. If you say someone 'çiğnedi', you are insulting them!
Possessive Suffixes
Always check your subject. If you say 'Sözünü çiğnemem', it means 'I won't break HIS word', which makes no sense. Use 'Sözümü çiğnemem'.
The 'Söz' Culture
In Turkey, giving a 'söz' is often accompanied by a handshake. It's a physical seal of the idiom.
Teste-se
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'söz' and the verb.
Ben dürüst biriyim, asla ________ ________.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so we need 'sözüm' + accusative 'ü' and the first-person negative verb.
Which sentence means 'He kept his promise'?
Hangisi doğru?
'Çiğnemedi' is the negative form, which in this idiom means he DID keep the promise.
Complete the dialogue.
Ayşe: Yarın yardıma gelecek misin? Fatma: Evet, geleceğim. Ben ______ ______.
Fatma is talking about her own word.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
3 exerciciosBen dürüst biriyim, asla ________ ________.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so we need 'sözüm' + accusative 'ü' and the first-person negative verb.
Hangisi doğru?
'Çiğnemedi' is the negative form, which in this idiom means he DID keep the promise.
Ayşe: Yarın yardıma gelecek misin? Fatma: Evet, geleceğim. Ben ______ ______.
Fatma is talking about her own word.
🎉 Pontuação: /3
Perguntas frequentes
4 perguntasYes, they mean the same thing, but 'sözünü çiğnememek' is more formal and emphasizes the moral weight of the promise.
Yes, you can say 'Şirket sözleşmedeki sözünü çiğnemedi' to mean they followed the contract.
You say 'Sözümü çiğnedim' (I chewed/trampled my word).
Not rude, but it might sound a bit too serious or dramatic for small things.
Frases relacionadas
sözünde durmak
synonymTo stand by one's word
sözünün eri olmak
similarTo be a person of one's word
sözünden dönmek
contrastTo go back on one's word
söz vermek
builds onTo give a promise
