At a family celebration, recognising the event helps you follow the conversation. Here you will name the occasion, identify the bride (gelin) and groom (damat), and offer a simple wish. The examples describe imagined families, not a programme every family follows.
The idea
Nişan means engagement or its celebration; düğün names the wedding celebration. Kına gecesi is a pre-wedding henna gathering, involving the application of henna. In this context, söz kesmek means to mark an agreement to marry, often with the families. These names do not imply that everyone holds separate events in a fixed order: practices vary by family and region. Addressing the couple, İkinize de mutluluklar dilerim wishes happiness to both; ikinize de includes both people. Fotoğraf çekebilir miyim? asks permission to take a photo.
Examples
- Nişan yarın evde olacak.The engagement celebration will be at home tomorrow.
- Düğün bugün erken başlıyor.The wedding celebration starts early today.
- Biz akşam düğüne gidiyoruz.We are going to the wedding this evening.
- Kına gecesi için salona çiçek getirdik.We brought flowers to the hall for the henna night.
- Geçen ay aile arasında söz kestik.Last month we marked our agreement to marry in a family gathering.
- Gelin ve damat konukları kapıda karşılıyor.The bride and groom are welcoming the guests at the door.
- İkinize de mutluluklar dilerim.I wish you both happiness.
- Fotoğraf çekebilir miyim?May I take a photo?
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Watch out
Do not confuse söz kesmek with birinin sözünü kesmek, interrupting someone who is speaking. In Geçen ay söz kestik, the topic is a marriage agreement; in Onun sözünü kestim, the speaker interrupted another person. Read the whole expression, not just the verb.
Try it yourself
Name the pre-wedding gathering at which henna is applied.
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kına gecesi
kına gecesi: the clue is the henna gathering before the wedding. Nişan would name an engagement, so it does not identify the event described.
The families celebrated the decision to marry. Complete: Geçen ay aile arasında ___ kestik.
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söz
söz: the families are celebrating a decision to marry, and kestik completes the expression. Adding sözünü would instead point to interrupting someone.
Complete the wish to the couple: İkinize de ___ dilerim.
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mutluluklar
mutluluklar: the speaker is offering good wishes, so happiness fits the sentence. İkinize de shows that the wish is for the two people together.
Choose the expression for interrupting a speaker: söz kesmek or sözünü kesmek.
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sözünü kesmek
sözünü kesmek: someone is already speaking and another person interrupts. The possessive and case endings on sözünü connect the interruption to that person’s speech.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Name the pre-wedding gathering at which henna is applied.
The families celebrated the decision to marry. Complete: Geçen ay aile arasında ___ kestik.
Complete the wish to the couple: İkinize de ___ dilerim.
Choose the expression for interrupting a speaker: söz kesmek or sözünü kesmek.
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 short exchange with a wedding host: ask when the celebration starts, wish the couple happiness and request permission to take a photo. Then explain the difference between söz kesmek and sözünü kesmek.