# Do drugs



## 123xyz

Is there any more elegant way to say "to do drugs" or "to get high" in Turkish than "uyuşturucu madde kullanmak", which appears to me rather bulky and inappropriately formal/professional in many everyday contexts? I would be especially interested in slang expressions.

Thank you in advance


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## enderiskender

It isn't elegant but commonly to get high is being used as "Kafayı bulmak" or "Uçmak".


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## 123xyz

Thank you for the reply. I suppose that "kafayı bulmak" refers to the process of getting high, whereas "uçmak" refers to the state of being high once it's already been attained; am I right? Also, do these two expressions refer to getting high exclusively, or could they be used in reference to other altered states of consciousness, e.g. alcoholic intoxication, love, and the like?

By the way, I find "kafayı bulmak" most satisfactorily elegant .


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## enderiskender

"uçmak" is bigger than "kafayı bulmak" that's the only difference between them. Since both expressions are "argo" there isn't much elegance in them if you ask me. Because of that none of them should be used with love, but again if you ask me. "kafayı bulmak" is commonly used for alcohol usage since its lower state of being high. "uçmak" is rarely used for alcohol usage.
Examples:
He is too high: "Adam uçmuş","Adam kafayı bulmuş"
He is getting high: "Adam uçuyor","Adam kafayı buluyor"
He knows how to get high: "Adam nasıl uçulacağını biliyo","Adam kafayı bulmayı biliyor"
For alcohol usage
He is drunk: "Adam serhoş","Adam kafayı bulmuş"
He knows how to get drunk: "Adam serhoş olmayı biliyor","Adam kafayı bulmayı biliyor"
And there is "kafa olmak" means he is drunk or drugged enough to change his characteristics mostly positively.
Note: This is how i use this words with most of my friends there is a possibility i might be wrong unlikely but posible.


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## 123xyz

Thank you for the explanation. I have one more follow up question, though:


> He knows how to get high: "Adam nasıl uçulacağını biliyor","Adam kafayı bulmayı biliyor"



Why have you used the passive "uçulmak" in this sentence, rather than the basic "uçmak" which you've used elsewhere?

P.S. 


> Adam serhoş



You mean "sarhoş", right?


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## Black4blue

123xyz said:


> Why have you used the passive "uçulmak" in this sentence, rather than the basic "uçmak" which you've used elsewhere?



We often use passive forms in _"how to"_ sentences.

_Adam nasıl uçulacağını biliyor. (The man knows how to get high.)
İstanbul'dan Ankara'ya nasıl gidilir? (How to go to Istanbul from Ankara?)
Evde nasıl pizza yapılır? (How to make pizzas at home?)
_
You can also use passive form with a person suffix; but it has a slightly different meaning, something like more specific to that person.

_Adam nasıl *uçacağını* biliyor. (The man knows how *he gets* high.)_


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## enderiskender

123xyz said:


> You mean "sarhoş", right?



Yes and no. I looked dictionary says sarhoş but most of us uses it as serhoş because it is not Turkish word actually it is Persian word and "ser" means "kafa","baş" and "hoş" means "güzel","zevk veren". I used its original form but it is not sanctioned by TDK. They are same thing and serhoş little bit more local.


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## yatahaze

enderiskender said:


> Yes and no. I looked dictionary says sarhoş but most of us uses it as serhoş because it is not Turkish word actually it is Persian word and "ser" means "kafa","baş" and "hoş" means "güzel","zevk veren". I used its original form but it is not sanctioned by TDK. They are same thing and serhoş little bit more local.



I think you need a correction.
Most of us don't use serhoş. I do not know where you live but everybody use "sarhoş" for drunk person.


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## enderiskender

yatahaze said:


> I think you need a correction.
> Most of us don't use serhoş. I do not know where you live but everybody use "sarhoş" for drunk person.



I live in İstanbul. Yes you are right i should have said most of people around me. And all you can say "everybody around me" because at least i am using "serhoş". Thank you for correction. Have a nice day.


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## 123xyz

> We often use passive forms in _"how to" _sentences.



I see; that makes sense. Thank you


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