güvende kal
/ɟyvende kal/from spelling rules
The English phrase "stay safe" is translated into Turkish as güvende kal.
This phrase is used to wish someone well by expressing a desire for them to remain out of danger.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of güvende, meaning "in safety" or "secure" and kal, meaning "stay".
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form güvende kal is the imperative singular form. When addressing more than one person or when being polite to a single person, use the form güvende kalın.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ɟyvende kal/. The sounds are similar to the [g] in ar[g]ue, [v] in [v]ase, [n] in [n]ot and [c] in [c]ore.
When do people say it?
While güvende kal specifically emphasizes safety, kendine iyi bak is a more common, general way to say "take care" when parting ways.
Did you know?
- When responding to a wish for safety, a Turkish speaker might say sağ ol, which literally means 'be alive'. It is the standard way to say 'thank you' while acknowledging the wish for health.
- In Turkish, wishing for someone's safety often involves the concept of 'eye' or 'evil eye'. A person might say nazar değmesin to ensure that 'the evil eye does not touch' the person they want to stay safe.
- If you are leaving a house and want to wish everyone safety, you might say Allah'a emanet olun, which means 'be entrusted to God'.
Examples in context
- Yolculuk boyunca güvende kal.Stay safe during the journey.
Example conversation
Emre is saying goodbye to Merve before she travels.
- Emreİyi yolculuklar Merve, güvende kal.Have a good trip Merve, stay safe.
- MerveTeşekkür ederim Emre, görüşürüz.Thank you Emre, see you.
- EmreVarınca bana haber ver.Let me know when you arrive.
- MerveTamam, mutlaka haber vereceğim.Okay, I will definitely let you know.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
