Common Turkish Words and Phrases for Tourists

An exciting part of visiting a country for the first time is to speak some of the local lingo. The Turks love it, when tourists attempt to converse in their language, even if it is a simple word like saying “hello”. Here is a list of common and important day-to-day words and phrases to print off and put in your suitcase.

Common Turkish Words and Phrases for Tourists

Hello	Merhaba	Meh – rha – bah
Yes	Evet	Eh – vet
No	Hayır	Hah – yur
How much?	Ne kadar?	Neh – ka – dar
Please	Lutfen	Lewt – fehn
Thank you	Teşekkür ederim	Tesh – ek – kerr – eh – deh – rim
How are you?	Nasilsin?	Nah-sil-sen
I am fine	Iyiyim	ee-yee-yim
What?	Ne?	Neh
When	Ne zaman	Neh-za-man

Important Facts to Know About the Turkish Language

• It is phonetic so it is pronounced in exactly the same way as it is read

• There are 29 letters in the alphabet

• The letters Q , W and X are not in the Turkish alphabet

• The Turkish alphabet has some letters that are not present in English including ö ç ş ı ğ ü

• The current Turkish alphabet was introduced in 1928 by the founder of Turkey called Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

• In the East, many Turks will also speak Kurdish

There are two versions for the word “ You ”.  “ Siz “ is formal and kept for people that you are unfamiliar with. “ Sen ” is informal and used when speaking with friends and family.

Surnames are seldom used in everyday conversations. Women are referred to as hanım so Zeynep will be called Zeynep Hanım. Men are referred to as Bey so Mustafa will be called Mustafa Bey.

It is rude for children to address an adult by their name only so there are many titles that are used on their own or to  follow a first name. Examples include

• Ayse Teyze – Auntie Ayse

• Mehmet Amca – Uncle Mehmet

• Abla – my elder sister

• Abi – My elder brother

• Hoja – used when talking about a wise man, like a teacher, advisor or mentor.

• Kanka – my best friend, often used by males only

You will still hear Arabic references in daily life. For example, when someone enters a crowded room, they will say “selâmünaleyküm” and people will respond with “aleykümselâm“

Will you struggle if you do not know Turkish?

Not all all. English is taught in schools so most Turks have a basic knowledge. If you intend to visit off the beaten track areas, download an app or carry a small phrase book that you can refer to if needed.

In tourist and expats areas like the coastal resorts on the Mediterranean and Aegean coast, English is widely spoken and on some occasions, the Turks can imitate a English accent perfectly!

If you are planning to use these phrases on a real trip, our Turkey tours include guided itineraries through Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and other highlights.