6 replies to this topic

[lostinparadise]

I need to be able to say politely but firmly (to estate agent!) 'please stop wasting my time and yours'. (They keep offering me totally unsuitable places to rent - I think they are just bored with nothing to do. But I am not!).

The dictionary has ALOT of different words for waste, so I want to be sure I choose the correct one. Or is there a totally different way of saying this in Turkish? It would be a useful expression to know in alot of situations.

[saffron]

To waste time: zaman kaybetmek. Another similar expression: Zamanı boşa harcamak, or, boşa zaman harcamak. Harcamak means to spend. 'Boşa' or 'boşuna' can be used for 'in vain'.
Another expression is to take one's time for nothing. Birinin (one's) zamanını boşuna/boş yere almak.
So you can say : Ne bana ne kendinize boşuna zaman kaybettirmeyin: Dont waste my time and yours (for nothing).
Ne benim zamanımı ne kendi zamanınızı boşa harcamayın 'Don't spend my time and yours (for nothing).
Boşuna zamanımı almayın : Don't take my time (for nothing)
(Ne benim ne kendi zamanınızı : Neither my time nor yours)

The first one in the list sounds more polite. The second one has an accusing tone. The third one sounds like a command.

[sunny]

That's useful Saffron, thank you.

There are so many things in Turkish that are not directly translated into English and vice versa, I wonder Saffron if you could give us some of the common ones? Just a list and the alternative word used in the other language e.g

In English we say we lose weight but in Turkish it's kilo vermek (give)
And I'm trying to do something we use calismak (work) not denemek.

[lostinparadise]

Thanks very much Saffron.......

[saffron]

You're welcome..
That's a good idea, Sunny, but the list is in fact so long that altough I thought about it many times, I couldnt decide where to start or which ones to be included..
Maybe I should start with a few but important ones..

[Abi]

What an excellent idea Sunny. I'm sure we'd all be very grateful to you Saffron if you could put something.

[sunny]

Thanks Saffron, it would be very useful because even though my spoken Turkish isn't bad I do get some funny/blank looks sometimes when I've done some direct translation!
Perhaps you should start a new thread for it and then we can pin it to stop it getting lost.