These are the single Turkish words you'll see on menus, transit signs, hotel receipts, ATMs, and shop fronts. Recognition matters more than perfect speaking — if you know what 'Çıkış' means above a door, you stop walking the wrong way. The 11 categories below cover ~95% of everyday tourist interactions. Stress in Turkish usually falls on the last syllable; we mark exceptions in CAPS.
217 words across 12 categories. Looking for full sentences instead? See our Turkish phrases page — designed for speaking, not recognition.
Turkish is phonetic — every letter is always pronounced the same way. Stress usually falls on the last syllable; we mark exceptions in CAPS. The trickiest letters for English speakers:
| Letter | Sounds like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| c | like English 'j' in 'jam' | cami (mosque) = ja-MEE |
| ç | like English 'ch' in 'chair' | çay (tea) = chai |
| ğ | silent — lengthens the previous vowel | yoğurt = YO-urt |
| ı | like the 'a' in 'sofa' (no English equivalent) | balık (fish) = ba-LUK |
| i | like 'ee' in 'meet' | iki (two) = ee-KEE |
| j | like 's' in 'measure' | jöle = zhö-LEH |
| ö | like 'i' in 'bird' (rounded lips) | döner = dö-NER |
| ş | like 'sh' in 'shoe' | şeker (sugar) = she-KER |
| ü | like 'u' in French 'tu' (rounded ee) | üç (three) = üch |
The first three words to memorize. Even a mangled 'Merhaba' earns you a warmer interaction than walking up in English. Use 'Efendim' to say a polite 'sir/madam' — it's the workhorse politeness word.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merhaba | Hello | mer-ha-BA | Universal. Works any time of day, any context. |
| Selam | Hi (informal) | se-LAM | Between friends or young people. Don't use with a 70-year-old shopkeeper. |
| Günaydın | Good morning | gün-ay-DIN | Until about 11am. |
| İyi günler | Good day / hello | ee-yee gün-LER | The all-purpose polite greeting from late morning until evening. |
| İyi akşamlar | Good evening | ee-yee ak-sham-LAR | After about 6pm. |
| İyi geceler | Good night | ee-yee ge-jeh-LER | On parting at night, or at bedtime. |
| Hoşça kal | Goodbye (you stay) | HOSH-cha kal | Said by the person leaving. |
| Güle güle | Goodbye (you go) | gü-LEH gü-LEH | Said by the person staying. Literally 'go laughing.' |
| Teşekkürler | Thanks | te-shek-kür-LER | Add 'çok' (chok) before it for 'thanks a lot.' |
| Sağ ol | Thanks (informal) | SAH ol | Literally 'be healthy.' Common in cafes and taxis. |
| Lütfen | Please | LÜT-fen | Use it. Turks notice when foreigners do. |
| Rica ederim | You're welcome | ree-JA ed-eh-rim | The standard reply to teşekkürler. |
| Affedersiniz | Excuse me / sorry | af-feh-der-SEE-niz | Both 'excuse me' (to get attention) and 'sorry' (after bumping someone). |
| Pardon | Pardon / sorry | par-DON | French loanword, very common, slightly more casual than affedersiniz. |
| Efendim | Sir / madam / pardon? | e-FEN-dim | Used as a polite 'sir,' to answer the phone, or to ask 'sorry, what?' |
| Buyurun | Here you are / please come in | BUY-ru-run | Workhorse polite word. Restaurants use it when seating you. Shopkeepers use it when handing change. |
'Var' and 'Yok' are the two most useful single syllables in Turkish — 'there is' and 'there isn't.' You'll hear them in every restaurant, hotel, and market.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evet | Yes | e-VET | |
| Hayır | No | HA-yur | Stress on the first syllable; the 'ı' is the unstressed 'uh' vowel. |
| Tamam | OK / agreed | ta-MAM | Use this constantly. Turks do. |
| Belki | Maybe | BEL-kee | |
| Var | There is / available | var | Ask 'Wi-Fi var mı?' to mean 'is there Wi-Fi?' |
| Yok | There isn't / unavailable | yok | Hotel out of rooms, restaurant out of a dish — you'll hear yok a lot. |
| Bir | One / a | beer | Doubles as the indefinite article: 'bir çay' = 'a tea.' |
| Çok | Very / a lot | chok | Pair with anything: 'çok güzel' (very nice), 'çok pahalı' (very expensive). |
| Az | Little / few | az | |
| Yeter | Enough | yeh-TER | Stop the waiter pouring tea — 'yeter, teşekkürler.' |
Worth memorizing 1–10, then 100 (yüz), 1,000 (bin), and 'milyon.' Prices in Turkey are written in lira, often with a 'TL' suffix. Larger numbers chain together: 25 = 'yirmi beş' (twenty five), 350 = 'üç yüz elli' (three hundred fifty).
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bir | 1 | beer | |
| İki | 2 | ee-KEE | |
| Üç | 3 | üch | |
| Dört | 4 | dört | |
| Beş | 5 | besh | |
| Altı | 6 | al-TUH | |
| Yedi | 7 | ye-DEE | |
| Sekiz | 8 | se-KEEZ | |
| Dokuz | 9 | do-KOOZ | |
| On | 10 | on | |
| Yirmi | 20 | YEER-mee | |
| Otuz | 30 | o-TOOZ | |
| Elli | 50 | el-LEE | |
| Yüz | 100 | yüz | |
| Bin | 1,000 | been | |
| Milyon | Million | mil-YON |
The lira (₺ / TL) is the currency. Prices end in '.99' or are rounded. 'Ne kadar' is the single most useful shopping word — 'how much.'
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Para | Money | pa-RA | |
| Lira | Lira (currency) | LEE-ra | Written ₺ or TL. 'On lira' = 10 lira. |
| Kuruş | Kurush (cent) | ku-ROOSH | 1/100 of a lira. Mostly historical; few prices use it. |
| Ne kadar? | How much? | neh ka-DAR | Universal. Point and ask. |
| Fiyat | Price | fee-YAT | |
| Pahalı | Expensive | pa-ha-LUH | |
| Ucuz | Cheap | oo-JOOZ | |
| İndirim | Discount / sale | in-dee-REEM | Posted in shop windows. |
| Bedava | Free (no charge) | be-da-VA | |
| Toplam | Total | top-LAM | On receipts. |
| Nakit | Cash | na-KEET | |
| Kart | Card | kart | |
| Kasa | Cash register / checkout | ka-SA | |
| Fatura | Receipt / invoice | fa-tu-RA | |
| Açık | Open | a-CHUK | |
| Kapalı | Closed | ka-pa-LUH |
Signage on buses, trams and ferries is Turkish-only outside airports. These are the words on every screen and every bus stop.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otobüs | Bus | o-to-BÜS | |
| Otogar | Bus station | o-to-GAR | |
| Durak | Stop (bus/tram) | du-RAK | |
| Metro | Metro / subway | met-RO | |
| Tramvay | Tram | tram-VAI | |
| Vapur | Ferry | va-POOR | |
| İskele | Ferry pier | is-ke-LEH | |
| Tren | Train | tren | |
| Gar | Train station | gar | |
| Taksi | Taxi | tak-SEE | Yellow in Istanbul. Always insist on the meter ('taksimetre'). |
| Havalimanı | Airport | ha-va-li-ma-NUH | IST = Istanbul; SAW = Sabiha Gökçen. |
| Uçak | Plane | oo-CHAK | |
| Bilet | Ticket | bee-LET | |
| Gidiş | Departure / one way | gee-DEESH | |
| Dönüş | Return | dö-NÜSH | |
| Gidiş-dönüş | Round trip | gee-DEESH dö-NÜSH | |
| Sefer | Service / journey | se-FER | |
| Peron | Platform | pe-RON | |
| Geç kalmak | To be late | gech kal-MAK | |
| Sağa | To the right | sa-A | |
| Sola | To the left | so-LA | |
| Düz | Straight | düz | |
| Geri | Back / behind | ge-REE | |
| Burada | Here | boo-ra-DA | Tell a taxi 'burada' = stop here. |
| Orada | There | o-ra-DA | |
| Nerede? | Where is it? | ne-re-DEH |
These eight words save you from walking the wrong way and from accidentally going into the wrong bathroom. Memorize them first.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giriş | Entrance | gee-REESH | |
| Çıkış | Exit | chuh-KUSH | Same word for 'check-out' at hotels. |
| İtin | Push | ee-TEEN | |
| Çekin | Pull | che-KEEN | |
| Açık | Open | a-CHUK | |
| Kapalı | Closed | ka-pa-LUH | |
| Tuvalet / WC | Toilet | tu-va-LET | Often costs 5 TL outside cafes. Tip the attendant. |
| Bay | Gentlemen (men's room) | bai | |
| Bayan | Ladies (women's room) | ba-YAN | |
| Yasak | Forbidden / prohibited | ya-SAK | On signs about smoking, photography, entry. |
| Dikkat | Caution / attention | deek-KAT | |
| Tehlike | Danger | teh-li-KEH | |
| Sigara içilmez | No smoking | see-ga-RA i-cheel-MEZ | |
| Boş | Empty / vacant | bosh | |
| Dolu | Full / occupied | do-LOO | |
| Cadde | Avenue | jad-DEH | |
| Sokak | Street | so-KAK | |
| Meydan | Square / plaza | mei-DAN |
Most international hotels operate in English, but family-run pansiyons in Cappadocia, the Black Sea, or eastern Turkey often don't. These are the words on hotel paperwork.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otel | Hotel | o-TEL | |
| Pansiyon | Pension / family-run guesthouse | pan-see-YON | |
| Konak | Restored Ottoman mansion-hotel | ko-NAK | Common in Safranbolu, Mardin, Şirince. |
| Oda | Room | o-DA | |
| Tek kişilik | Single (one person) | tek kee-shee-LEEK | |
| Çift kişilik | Double (two people) | cheeft kee-shee-LEEK | |
| Anahtar | Key | a-nah-TAR | |
| Banyo | Bathroom | ban-YO | |
| Duş | Shower | doosh | |
| Havlu | Towel | hav-LOO | |
| Klima | Air conditioning | klee-MA | |
| Kalorifer | Heating (radiator) | ka-lo-ree-FER | |
| Kahvaltı | Breakfast | kah-val-TUH | Usually included in mid-range Turkish hotels — confirm. |
| Rezervasyon | Reservation | re-zer-vas-YON | |
| Pasaport | Passport | pa-sa-PORT | Front desk will ask to photocopy it. |
| İmza | Signature | im-ZA |
Days end in '-tesi' for the weekend (literally 'shabbat-side' days from Hebrew origins). Saat means both 'hour' and 'clock' — context decides.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saat | Hour / clock / o'clock | sa-AT | 'Saat kaç?' = 'what time is it?' |
| Dakika | Minute | da-kee-KA | |
| Bugün | Today | boo-GÜN | |
| Yarın | Tomorrow | ya-RUN | |
| Dün | Yesterday | dün | |
| Sabah | Morning | sa-BAH | |
| Öğle | Noon / midday | ö-LEH | |
| Akşam | Evening | ak-SHAM | |
| Gece | Night | ge-JEH | |
| Pazartesi | Monday | pa-zar-TE-see | |
| Salı | Tuesday | sa-LUH | |
| Çarşamba | Wednesday | char-sham-BA | |
| Perşembe | Thursday | per-shem-BEH | |
| Cuma | Friday | joo-MA | Friday is the Islamic day of congregational prayer. |
| Cumartesi | Saturday | joo-mar-TE-see | |
| Pazar | Sunday | pa-ZAR | Also means 'market.' Context tells you which. |
| Hafta | Week | haf-TA | |
| Ay | Month / moon | ai | |
| Yıl | Year | yul |
Most Turkish pharmacists speak some English and are well-trained — they're the first stop for minor issues. 112 is the universal emergency number.
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yardım | Help | yar-DUM | |
| Polis | Police | po-LEES | |
| Hastane | Hospital | has-ta-NEH | |
| Eczane | Pharmacy | ej-za-NEH | Green cross sign. Often open 24/7 by rotation; the night-duty list is on the door. |
| Doktor | Doctor | dok-TOR | |
| Acil | Urgent / emergency | a-JEEL | |
| Ağrı | Pain / ache | ah-RUH | |
| Hasta | Sick / patient | has-TA | |
| Su | Water (also: emergency word) | soo | |
| Yangın | Fire | yan-GUN | |
| Hırsız | Thief | hur-SUZ | |
| Kayıp | Lost | ka-YUP | |
| Anlamadım | I didn't understand | an-la-ma-DUM | |
| İngilizce | English (language) | een-gee-LEEZ-jeh | 'İngilizce biliyor musunuz?' = 'do you speak English?' |
Bazaar pricing is theatre. The opening price is always negotiable in the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) and the Spice Bazaar. Fixed-price shops have a sign saying 'Sabit fiyat' or 'Etiket fiyat.'
| Turkish | English | Pronunciation | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pazarlık | Bargaining | pa-zar-LUK | |
| Sabit fiyat | Fixed price (no bargaining) | sa-BEET fee-YAT | |
| Çok pahalı | Too expensive | chok pa-ha-LUH | |
| Daha ucuz | Cheaper | da-HA oo-JOOZ | |
| Son fiyat | Final price | son fee-YAT | |
| Bakıyorum | I'm just looking | ba-kuh-yo-ROOM | |
| İndirim yapar mısınız? | Can you give a discount? | in-dee-REEM ya-PAR mu-SUN-uz | |
| Nakit öderim | I'll pay cash (asks for discount) | na-KEET ö-der-EEM | |
| Halı | Carpet / rug | ha-LUH | Carpet shops are where the real bargaining happens. Read our guide on rug scams. |
| Kilim | Flat-woven rug | kee-LEEM | |
| Bakır | Copper | ba-KUR | |
| Gümüş | Silver | gü-MÜSH | |
| Altın | Gold | al-TUN | |
| Hediye | Gift / souvenir | he-dee-YEH |
The exact plan we'd give a friend visiting Istanbul. Where to eat, what to skip, how to avoid tourist traps.
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