Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| nazar | /nä.zäɾ/ |
| göz | /ˈɟøz/ |
| kem göz | /cem ɟøz/ (from spelling rules) |
The term refers to a wicked look conveying dislike or envy that is believed to cause bad luck or injury. It can also refer to the ability to cause such harm through a gaze. In Turkish culture, you may encounter the term Nazar boncuğu, which refers to the typical blue bead used as a protective talisman against this influence.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase kem göz is a literal construction where kem means bad or wicked and göz means eye.
Which one should you use?
While göz means eye, nazar specifically refers to the harmful influence or the gaze itself that carries the evil eye. The phrase kem göz translates literally to "bad eye".
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the phenomenon of being affected by the evil eye, you can use the verb phrase nazar değmek. If you are describing the act of a person's gaze causing harm to someone else, the form nazarı değmek is used.
How do you pronounce it?
The word nazar is pronounced /nä.zäɾ/. The first syllable has a sound like the [n] in "not", the vowel is like the [a] in "father", the second syllable uses a sound like the [z] in "zone" and the final sound is like the [t] in the American English pronunciation of "atom".
When do people say it?
To protect against the evil eye, people commonly use the nazar boncuğu, which is a blue glass amulet or bead.
Did you know?
- The nazar boncuğu is often intentionally broken or cracked, as this is believed to mean the amulet has absorbed the 'evil eye' and protected the owner.
- Turkish people may use a phrase involving 'spitting' lightly on someone or something to neutralize the power of nazar.
- In Turkey, it is common to avoid praising a baby too much without adding a protective phrase to prevent nazar değmek.
Examples in context
- Bana nazar değdirdi.She gave me the evil eye.This sentence is useful for showing how to use nazar to say someone gave you the evil eye.Tatoeba #1068207 by duran, translation #843050 by J_S
- Nazara inanıyor musunuz?Do you believe in the Evil Eye?This sentence is useful for asking if someone believes in the phenomenon of nazar.Tatoeba #5303337 by deyta, translation #1309842 by enteka
- Üzerimizde çok nazar var.There is a lot of evil eye upon us.
Example conversation
Elif and Mehmet are discussing why their new car broke down.
- ElifYeni araba hemen bozuldu.The new car broke down immediately.
- MehmetKesin nazar değdi.The evil eye definitely touched it.
- ElifSen de çok inanıyorsun.You believe in it a lot too.
- MehmetDikkatli olmakta fayda var.It is useful to be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “evil eye” translations and entries nazar, göz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
