Turkish · The Art of the Curse
Geber!
geh-BER · /ɟeˈbeɾ/
Drop dead / die
4/5 Fighting words
aimed at a person, will start something
Literally
"Drop dead / croak (verb used for animals dying)"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
"Gebermek" is the crude verb for dying — the one you use for vermin, not people — so telling someone to "geber" is spitting contempt. "Geberesice!" ("may you drop dead") is the ornate curse form, "gebertirim seni" is a genuine threat ("I'll finish you"). Real hostility; among furious friends it can be hyperbole, but a stranger will read a threat.
Heard in the wild
Çekil önümden, geber!
Get out of my way — drop dead!
Where it lands
Turkey-wide; informal
Quick answers
- What does "Geber!" mean?
- In Turkish, "Geber!" means "Drop dead / die". Literally it's "Drop dead / croak (verb used for animals dying)". "Gebermek" is the crude verb for dying — the one you use for vermin, not people — so telling someone to "geber" is spitting contempt. "Geberesice!" ("may you drop dead") is the ornate curse form, "gebertirim seni" is a genuine threat ("I'll finish you"). Real hostility; among furious friends it can be hyperbole, but a stranger will read a threat.
- Is "Geber!" offensive?
- Yes — very. It rates 4/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Fighting words). aimed at a person, will start something. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
- How do you pronounce "Geber!"?
- Say it "geh-BER" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ɟeˈbeɾ.
Related in Turkish
Lan LAHN Man / dude / hey — a rough vocative that dials the whole sentence up or down Amına koyayım! ah-muh-NAH koy-AH-yuhm Fucking hell / goddammit / fuck this Siktir git! sik-TEER GEET Fuck off / piss off Salak sah-LAHK Idiot / dummy Aptal ap-TAHL Stupid / fool Gerizekalı geh-ree-zeh-kah-LUH Moron / imbecile
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "Screw you".
- French Enculé ! Motherf***er / bastard (one of the hardest personal insults)
- German Verpiss dich! Piss off! / Clear off (with force)!
- Greek άντε γαμήσου Go fuck yourself / get lost / piss off.
- Italian Vaffanculo! Fuck off! / Go to hell!
- Japanese クソ野郎 Piece of shit / shitty bastard
- Korean 개새끼 Son of a bitch / bastard — a real insult with no soft reading.
- Polish ty kurwo You whore / you bitch — the aimed kurwa, a different animal entirely.
- Portuguese Filho da puta Son of a bitch / bastard
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.