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Questions & Answers about Geçmiş olsun, artık iyisin.
Why does geçmiş olsun mean "get well soon"? What does it literally mean?
Literally, it means "may it be past" or "let it pass." It is the most common phrase to say to someone who is sick. You can also say it when someone has had a bad experience, like a minor accident or a stressful day, to wish that the bad event is safely behind them.
Where does the word olsun come from in this phrase?
Olsun comes from the verb olmak (to be / to become). This specific form translates to "let it be" or "may it be". You will see olsun used in many common Turkish wishes and idiomatic expressions!
Why use artık for "now" instead of the usual word, şimdi?
While şimdi means "right now" at this exact moment, artık means "from now on" or "now, as opposed to before". Because the person was sick before but has recovered, artık emphasizes this change in their situation.
The English translation says "you are better", but isn't iyisin just "you are good"?
Yes! İyi means "good" or "well", and the -sin ending is the "you are" suffix. Literally, this is "you are well". English speakers naturally say "you are better now" after an illness, but in Turkish, artık iyisin (you are well now) does the job perfectly. If you wanted to literally say "better" (more good), you would use daha iyisin.