What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down into Kurban (Sacrifice), Bayramınız (your holiday/festival), mübarek (blessed) and olsun (let it be).
Which one should you use?
The phrase Kurban Bayramınız mübarek olsun emphasizes a religious blessing. In contrast, using Kurban Bayramınız kutlu olsun is a more secular way to say "happy holidays" or "congratulations on the occasion".
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the greeting from the polite/plural form to the singular/informal form, change the possessive suffix from -ınız to -ın, resulting in Kurban Bayramın mübarek olsun.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA pronunciation is /kuɾban bajɾamɯnɯz mybaɾec olsun/. The sounds are as follows: /k/ as in [c]ore, /u/ as in c[oo]l, /ɾ/ as in AmE a[t]om, /b/ as in a[b]out, /n/ as in [n]ot, /j/ as in [y]es, /m/ as in [m]uch, /ɯ/ somewhat like ribb[o]n, /z/ as in [z]one, /c/ as in s[k]ew and /s/ as in [s]end.
When do people say it?
When someone offers you this greeting, a common and natural response is Size de (To you too) or Sizin de mübarek olsun (May yours be blessed too).
Did you know?
- The word kurban is used in Turkish idioms to express extreme affection, such as kurban olurum sana, which literally means 'I would be a sacrifice for you'.
- In Turkey, the greeting Kurban Bayramınız mübarek olsun is often accompanied by the custom of kissing the hand of the eldest person in the room and pressing it to one's forehead.
- The root of the word Kurban is actually much older than Arabic, tracing back to the Aramaic word qurbānā.
Examples in context
- Kurban Bayramınız kutlu olsun! İyi tatiller dilerim.May your Eid ul Adha be blessed! I wish you a happy holiday.
- Bayramınız kutlu olsun! Hayatınız bu özel günde sevinç ve bereketle dolu olsun.May your Eid be blessed! May your life be filled with joy and blessings on this special occasion.
- Kurban Bayramınız mübarek olsun.May your Eid al-Adha be blessed.
- Kurban Bayramınız mübarek olsun, nice bayramlara.Have a blessed Eid al-Adha, to many more holidays.
Example conversation
Zeynep and Can meet in the street during the holiday.
- ZeynepSelam Can, Kurban Bayramınız mübarek olsun!Hello Can, may your Eid al-Adha be blessed!
- CanTeşekkürler Zeynep, sizin de bayramınız mübarek olsun.Thanks Zeynep, may your holiday be blessed too.
- ZeynepÇok teşekkür ederim.Thank you very much.
- Canİyi bayramlar dilerim.I wish you a happy holiday.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kurban, mübarek, CC BY-SA 4.0.
