syri i keq
The English phrase "evil eye" is translated into Albanian as syri i keq. If unsure, use syri i keq. Wiktionary also lists syni keq.
Meaning: wicked look conveying dislike or envy believed to be able to cause bad luck or injury, the ability to cause bad luck or injury through such a look (noun)
Ways to say it
| Albanian |
|---|
| syri i keq |
| syni keq |
The term refers to a wicked look conveying dislike or envy believed to be able to cause bad luck or injury. The ability to cause bad luck or injury through such a look.
Which one should you use?
syri i keq is the definite form used when referring to the specific concept of the evil eye. In contrast, syni keq is the indefinite form, which literally translates to "bad eye".
Did you know?
- Traditional remedies for syri i keq often involve a ritual where a healer pours melted lead into cold water to diagnose the curse.
- To ward off syri i keq, it is common to spit lightly three times on the ground or into the air while saying ptu ptu ptu.
- The concept of syri i keq is so pervasive that it can influence how people present their children, often dressing them in ways to avoid being 'too perfect' and attracting envy.
Examples in context
- Besoj se syri i keq i dëmton njerëzit.I believe the evil eye harms people.
- Duhet të mbrohemi nga syri i keq.We must protect ourselves from the evil eye.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a string of bad luck.
- DritanÇdo gjë po shkon keq sot, Majlinda.Everything is going wrong today, Majlinda.
- MajlindaMbase është syri i keq, Dritan.Maybe it is the evil eye, Dritan.
- DritanKush mund të na kishte dhënë?Who could have given it to us?
- MajlindaNuk e di, por duhet të kujdesemi.I don't know, but we should be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “evil eye” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
