A character can use a whole proverb as a reply. You will connect three fixed sayings to the situation and the speaker’s purpose. The exchanges are original teaching examples, unrelated to any series; the translations convey their meaning in context.
The idea
Read a proverb on two levels: its image and the point it makes here. Damlaya damlaya göl olur encourages patience with small contributions; Acele işe şeytan karışır warns against rushing; Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var supports cooperation. Learn each as a fixed expression. The forms olur and karışır present a general observation, not an event happening now. The surrounding turns show whether the speaker is encouraging, advising or blaming.
| Proverb | Image and meaning in context |
|---|---|
| Damlaya damlaya göl olur. | Drops form a lake: small, repeated contributions build up. |
| Acele işe şeytan karışır. | The devil gets into rushed work: slow down to avoid mistakes. |
| Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var. | One hand achieves little; two make a sound: cooperation makes a task easier. |
Examples
- Her hafta biraz para ayırıyorum.I put aside a little money every week.
- Bu masayı birlikte taşıyalım.Let’s carry this table together.
- Lütfen bu işi aceleye getirme.Please don’t rush this job.
- A: Her hafta sadece yirmi lira ayırabiliyorum. B: Damlaya damlaya göl olur. Böyle devam et.A: I can only put aside twenty lira each week. B: Small amounts add up. Keep going like that.
- A: Tahtayı ölçmeden keselim, daha çabuk biter. B: Acele işe şeytan karışır. Önce uzunluğunu ölçelim.A: Let’s cut the board without measuring it; it’ll be quicker. B: Rushing leads to mistakes. Let’s measure its length first.
- A: Bu masayı tek başıma taşıyamıyorum. B: Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var. Bir ucundan ben tutayım.A: I can’t carry this table on my own. B: We can do more together. Let me hold one end.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Turkish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Turkish device voice is available. You can still read the text.
Watch out
A proverb is not automatically comforting. After a mistake, Sana söylemiştim (I had told you) followed by Acele işe şeytan karışır can sound reproachful. Do not infer a literal devil from şeytan here, or change the proverb’s verb to the present continuous just because the conversation is happening now.
Try it yourself
You save a small amount each week. Complete: Damlaya damlaya ___ olur.
Show answer or example answer
göl
göl: repeated small savings correspond to drops that eventually form a lake. The reply encourages the person to keep saving, rather than dismissing the amount as too small.
Someone wants to cut a board without measuring. Complete: Acele işe ___ karışır.
Show answer or example answer
şeytan
şeytan: cutting before measuring risks a wrong length. The devil is part of the proverb’s image; the speaker is recommending care, not describing a supernatural event.
Two people carried the table easily. Complete: Bir elin nesi var, iki elin ___ var.
Show answer or example answer
sesi
sesi: the fixed wording contrasts one hand with the sound two hands can make. Two people moving the table demonstrate cooperation; the sentence is not reporting a noise from the table.
The board is too short after a rushed cut. The reply means “I told you: rushing leads to mistakes.” Choose: sitem (reproach) or teşekkür (thanks).
Show answer or example answer
sitem
sitem: the board is already too short, and Sana söylemiştim points back to an ignored warning. That combination makes this a reproach, with no reason for thanks.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
You save a small amount each week. Complete: Damlaya damlaya ___ olur.
Someone wants to cut a board without measuring. Complete: Acele işe ___ karışır.
Two people carried the table easily. Complete: Bir elin nesi var, iki elin ___ var.
The board is too short after a rushed cut. The reply means “I told you: rushing leads to mistakes.” Choose: sitem (reproach) or teşekkür (thanks).
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Write two invented exchanges using the same proverb: one before a rushed task, one after a mistake. Add a reply that makes the warning or reproach clear. Keep the proverb’s wording intact.