# boyu vs boyunca



## jbionic2010

hi,
I am looking at the following example sentences (see attached pic) and trying to figure out the differences between "boyu" and "boyunca", but still don't understand. Can anybody explain the rules for using both words based on the context?


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## Rallino

Wow this is a hard one. I'd never thought about it. I think most of the time, they're interchangeable. Sometimes one sounds better than the other, though. For example, we would almost always say _hayatım boyunca_ and not *_hayatım boyu_. So, with possessives, use _boyunca_. Otherwise, _gün boyu / gün boyunca_ are both okay. I can't think of any steadfast rule, really.


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## Cagsak

"Hayat boyu" and "Hayatım boyunca"  sound natural more. 
Gün boyu, gün boyunca = during the day
Hayat boyu, hayat boyunca = during the life
Hayatım boyunca = during my life
Those all sound good.
But I'd not rather to say "hayatım boyu" whether it's correct, or not.


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## RimeoftheAncientMariner

jbionic2010 said:


> hi,
> I am looking at the following example sentences (see attached pic) and trying to figure out the differences between "boyu" and "boyunca", but still don't understand. Can anybody explain the rules for using both words based on the context?


Hello

Additionally i can add

Hayat boyu başarı ödülü = life long success award 

But not ' yaşam boyunca ' in this very example above


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## Rallino

Good point


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## RimeoftheAncientMariner

Rallino said:


> Good point


Thank you

Sorry for the letters in English.


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## Ragnar0k77

One can also "walk along the road". In this context we can translate it as "Yol *boyunca* yürümek" or we have a common saying in Turkish language such as *"Boyunca günâha girmek" *which means "çok günah işlemek/fall into a big sin"


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