Basic Turkish
To help you enjoy your holiday, you may want to learn some basic Turkish. The Turkish will love the fact that you have tried, even if you haven’t fully mastered it. English is taught is primary and secondary schools, so you can usually find a helpful soul to translate for you.
This list is curtesy of the excellent Turkey Travel Planner website that no trip to Turkey should do without. I also recommend you go to the site and follow the tips for learning on there. Give it a go it fun and extremely easy to follow.
We have also provided a reminder below that you may wish to print out and take with you on your trip.
| ENGLISH | TURKISH | PRONUNCIATION |
|
Hello |
Merhaba |
MEHR-hah-bah |
|
Good |
Günaydin |
gew-nahy-DUHN |
|
Good |
Iyi |
EE |
|
Good |
Iyi |
EE |
|
Goodbye |
Allaha |
ah-LAHS-mahr-lah-duhk |
|
Bon |
Güle |
gew-LEH |
|
What |
Adiniz |
AH-duh-NUHZ |
|
My |
Adim… |
Ah-DUHM… |
|
How |
Nasilsiniz? |
NAHS-suhl-suh-nuhz |
|
I’m |
Iyiyim, |
ee-YEE-yihm, |
|
Pardon |
Affedersiniz, |
af-feh-DEHR-see-neez, |
|
Yes/no |
Evet/hayir |
eh-VEHT/HAH-yuhr |
|
Please. |
Lütfen. |
LEWT-fehn |
|
Help |
Buyurun(uz). |
BOOY-roon-(ooz) |
|
Thanks. |
Tesekkürler. |
t |
|
You’re |
Bir |
beer |
|
Friend |
Arkadas |
Ar-kah-DAHSH |
|
What? |
Ne? |
NEH |
|
How? |
Nasil? |
NAH-suhl |
|
Who? |
Kim? |
KEEM |
|
Why? |
Niçin, |
NEE-cheen, |
|
When? |
Ne |
NEH |
|
Which |
Hangisi? |
HAHN-gee-see |
|
What’s |
Bu |
BOO |
|
How |
Kaç/kaç tane? |
KAHCH/tah-neh |
|
What |
Ne |
NEH |
|
Give |
… |
bah-NAH |
|
I |
… |
ees-tee-YOH-room |
|
…this |
…bu(nu) |
…boo(NOO) |
|
…that |
…su(nu) |
…shoo(NOO) |
|
…the |
…o(nu) |
…oh(NOO) |
|
hot/cold |
sicak/soguk |
suh-JAHK/soh-OOK |
|
big/small |
büyük/küçük |
bew-YEWK/kew-CHEWK |
|
new/old |
yeni/eski |
yeh-NEE/ehss-KEE |
|
open/closed |
açik/kapali |
ah-CHUHK/kah-pah-LUH |
|
not |
… |
deh-YEEL |
|
It |
Var/yok |
VAHR/YOHK |
|
And/or |
Ve/veya |
VEH/veh-YAH |
|
Good/bad |
Iyi/fenah |
EE-ee/ |
|
Beautiful/ugly |
Güzel/çirkin |
gew-ZEHL/cheer-KEEN |
|
Where |
… |
NEH-reh-deh |
|
__railway |
__Gar/istasyon |
__GAHR, |
|
__bus |
__Otogar |
__OH-toh-gahr |
|
__cheap |
__Ucuz |
__oo-JOOZ |
|
__toilet |
__Tuvalet |
__too-vah-LEHT |
|
__restaurant |
__Lokanta |
__loh-KAHN-tah |
|
__post |
__Postane, |
__POHSS-tah-neh, |
|
Room |
Oda |
OH-dah |
|
Shower |
Dus |
DOOSH |
|
Bath |
Banyo |
BAHN-yo |
|
Turkish |
Hamam |
Hah-MAHM |
|
Soap |
Sabun |
Sah-BOON |
|
Toilet |
tuvalet |
too-vah-LEHT |
|
Hot |
Sicak |
Suh_JAHK |
|
Luggage |
Bagaj |
Bah-GAHZH |
|
Clean |
Temiz |
The-MEEZ |
|
Laundry |
Çamasir |
Chah-mah-SHUR |
|
Light(s) |
Isik(lar) |
Uh-SHUK(-LAHR) |
|
Money |
Para |
PAH-rah |
|
Water |
Su |
SOO |
|
Tea |
Çay |
CHAH-yee |
|
street, |
sokak, |
soh-KAHK, |
|
Left/right |
Sol/ |
SOHL/SAAH |
|
straight |
dogru |
doh-ROO |
|
Here/there/over |
Burada/ surada/ orada |
BOO-rah-dah/ SHOO-rah-dah/ OH-rah-dah |
|
Near/far |
Yakin/uzak |
yah-KUHN/oo-ZAHK |
|
map |
harita |
HAH-ree-TAH |
|
ticket |
bilet |
bee-LEHT |
|
one-way/round- |
gidis/gidis-dönüs |
gee-DEESH/ |
|
airplane |
uçak |
oo-CHAHK |
|
airport |
havaalani |
Hah-VAH-ah-lah-nuh |
|
train |
tren |
TREHN |
|
ship |
gemi |
GEH-mee |
|
bus |
otobüs |
Oh-toh-BEWSS |
|
car |
araba |
AH-rah-bah |
|
Day, |
gün, |
GURN, |
|
today |
bugün |
BOO-gurn |
|
tomorrow |
yarin |
YAHR-uhn |
|
week |
hafta |
hahf-TAH |
|
Sunday |
Pazar |
pah-ZAHR |
|
Monday |
Pazartesi |
pah-ZAHR-teh-see |
|
Tuesday |
Sali |
sah-LUH |
|
Wednesday |
Çarsamba |
char-shahm-BAH |
|
Thursday |
Persembe |
pehr-shehm-BEH |
|
Friday |
Cuma |
joo-MAH |
|
Saturday |
Cumartesi |
joo-MAHR-teh-see |
|
month |
ay |
AHY |
|
year |
sene, |
SEH-neh, |
|
January |
Ocak |
oh-JAHK |
|
February |
Subat |
shoo-BAHT |
|
March |
Mart |
MAHRT |
|
April |
Nisan |
nee-SAHN |
|
May |
Mayis |
mah-YUSS |
|
June |
Haziran |
HAH-zee-RAHN |
|
July |
Temmuz |
teh-MOOZ |
|
August |
Agustos |
AH-oo-STOHSS |
|
September |
Eylül |
ehy-LEWL |
|
October |
Ekim |
eh-KEEM |
|
November |
Kasim |
kah-SUHM |
|
December |
Aralik |
AH-rah-LU |


