Questions & Answers about Pekâlâ, tamam.
What does the little hat symbol on the 'a' in Pekâlâ mean?
That symbol is called a circumflex. In Turkish, it is sometimes used over an 'a' or 'u' to show that the consonant before it (like the 'l' here) is pronounced softly, and it makes the vowel slightly longer. You will sometimes see it written casually as Pekala, but Pekâlâ is the officially correct spelling.
Are Pekâlâ and tamam exactly the same thing?
They are similar but have a slightly different feel. Tamam is your everyday, standard word for 'okay', 'agreed', or 'done'. Pekâlâ is a bit closer to 'very well' or 'all right'. Using them together in this sentence usually shows someone giving in or finally agreeing to something, like sighing and saying 'Very well then, okay.'
Is Pekâlâ related to the word pek (very)?
Yes! It is actually a combination of pek (meaning 'very' or 'quite') and an older word âlâ (meaning 'excellent' or 'highest'). So literally it means 'very excellent', but today it is just used as a set phrase to say 'very well'.
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