Phrases You Should Know Before Visiting Turkey

Turkey may not be the first country on your mind when it comes to travel, but it is the 6th most visited country in the world, with close to 46 million visitors a year!

Before you add at least one more visitor to that list, make sure to brush up on your Turkish!

Words

No matter what party of this gorgeous country you find yourself in, you’ll want to use those manners your Nana taught you.

To say ‘hello’ or ‘good-bye,’ you can say: merhaba and güle güle If you want to really ramp up that American charm, you can use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ with lütfen and teşekkür ederim.

That’s not all! If your stomach won’t stop rumbling and the smell of authentic Turkish Manti is making your mouth water, don’t be afraid to ask for ‘food’ or a ‘restaurant’ with yemek and restoran. Once you’ve found the food that you’ve been craving, you’ll have to ask for the check, which is çek. 

Before you leave that restoran, stop by the tuvalet (bathroom) before heading out to sight-see!

Phrases

Sometimes, single words just aren’t enough to get your point across. Sometimes, you have to string them together in a phrase!

One of the great things about Turkey is how many monuments and great cities it has, which means there are countless places to visit! When you’re looking for one place in particular, simply ask nerede (name of place)? 

You may come across a certain store or shop that you just have to go into. In that store, there could be the most beautiful scarf or funniest postcard you’ve ever seen. If there isn’t a price tag, don’t be afraid to ask: ne kadar ediyor? 

Finally, if you forgot your Jarvisen Translator, you may have to ask someone if they speak English. There is no shame in this, and I am sure your honesty will be appreciated! To ask if someone speaks English, say: İngilizce biliyor musunuz? 

With all these words and phrases, not to mention your Jarvisen in hand, you will be ready for anything Turkey has to throw at you!  Güle güle!