A family member announces a death; another person offers sympathy. This B2 dialogue practises the change of speaker, respectful distance and a concrete offer of help. It teaches language, not funeral rites.
The idea
Direct Başınız sağ olsun to the bereaved person or family; Başın sağ olsun addresses one person you call sen. The polite or plural form changes başın to başınız, while olsun stays. The recipient can answer Sağ olun or Teşekkür ederim. Allah rahmet eylesin is a religious wish for the deceased, not the same speech act as addressing the surviving family. Acınızı paylaşıyorum expresses sympathy without an explicit religious reference. Vefat etmek means to pass away; cenaze can mean the funeral or the body of the deceased, so cenaze töreni specifies the ceremony.
Read the text
— Dedem dün vefat etti. Cenaze töreni yarın yapılacak. — Başınız sağ olsun. Acınızı yürekten paylaşıyorum. — Sağ olun. Şu an uzun uzun konuşmak istemiyorum. — Elbette. İsterseniz size yemek getirebilirim. — Teşekkür ederim, yarın öğleden sonra uygun olur.
Examples
- Acınızı yürekten paylaşıyorum.I sincerely share your sorrow.
- Cenaze töreni yarın yapılacak.The funeral ceremony will take place tomorrow.
- İsterseniz size yemek getirebilirim.If you wish, I can bring you food.
- Başınız sağ olsun.My condolences.
- Başın sağ olsun.I am sorry for your loss.
- Sağ olun, desteğiniz bize güç veriyor.Thank you; your support gives us strength.
- Allah rahmet eylesin.May God have mercy on the deceased.
- Dedem dün vefat etti.My grandfather passed away yesterday.
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Watch out
Do not turn the condolence into Başınız sağ olun: Sağ olun is a reply of thanks, whereas sağ olsun belongs inside the condolence. Both are written as two words. Nor is Geçmiş olsun, used for illness or a mishap, the usual condolence after a death. Recognising religious wording does not make it compulsory.
Try it yourself
A colleague has lost their father. Offer condolences using the polite form: Başınız / Başın sağ olsun. Write the whole expression.
Show answer or example answer
Başınız sağ olsun
Başınız sağ olsun: the colleague is addressed politely, so the possessive form is plural or respectful. Başın sağ olsun would switch to familiar singular address.
You receive condolences. Choose a reply of thanks: Sağ olun / Geçmiş olsun.
Show answer or example answer
Sağ olun
Sağ olun: here you are receiving sympathy and thanking the speaker. Geçmiş olsun would offer a different kind of wish instead of acknowledging the condolence.
Complete the respectful announcement: Dedem dün ___. Use the past tense of vefat etmek.
Show answer or example answer
vefat etti
vefat etti: the grandfather is the subject and dün locates the event yesterday. In the past form of etmek, the ending begins with t, giving etti.
Choose the expression without an explicit religious reference: Acınızı paylaşıyorum / Allah rahmet eylesin.
Show answer or example answer
Acınızı paylaşıyorum
Acınızı paylaşıyorum: this sentence focuses on the living person’s sorrow. The other option explicitly invokes God’s mercy for the deceased.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
A colleague has lost their father. Offer condolences using the polite form: Başınız / Başın sağ olsun. Write the whole expression.
You receive condolences. Choose a reply of thanks: Sağ olun / Geçmiş olsun.
Complete the respectful announcement: Dedem dün ___. Use the past tense of vefat etmek.
Choose the expression without an explicit religious reference: Acınızı paylaşıyorum / Allah rahmet eylesin.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write a five-turn exchange between fictional relatives: announce a death, offer condolences, thank the speaker, offer practical help and respond. Use a polite form consistently and leave room for the bereaved person to decline a longer conversation.