Are you considering visiting Istanbul, Bodrum, Antalya, Izmir, Cappadocia or another beautiful city in Turkey when you go on holiday? Even though we think you’ll have a wonderful holiday in Turkey anyway, we want to share 20 useful sentences that will further enrich your time there and enable you to communicate with locals.
Table of Contents
- Five basic and daily Turkish phrases
- Six Turkish sentences related to food and restaurants
- Five sentences you can use while strolling around
- Four crucial Turkish phrases to solve language problems
Turkey, which connects the European and Asian continents, continues to be a holiday destination for may people because of its beautiful architecture, delicious food, and the authentic nature of its people.
While we are certain this attitude can be seen in many other countries, Turks find foreigners’ efforts to speak Turkish delightful and really appreciate it. So, read this blog to discover key sentences that will enrich your experience in Turkey and lead to conversations that will make the Turkish people you meet smile.
Five basic and daily Turkish phrases
The first five sentences you see below you’ll be able to use in many situations during your holiday in Turkey. Not sure how to pronounce them? To learn how to pronounce sentences, take a look at the First Words and Essential Phrases topics in the uTalk app.
| Turkish | English | Comments |
| Merhaba! | Hello! | |
| Günaydın! | Good Morning! | The word ‘gün’ means day. |
| İyi akşamlar! | Good evening! | The word ‘akşam’ means night. |
| Teşekkürler.Çok teşekkürler. | Thank you. Thank you very much. | |
| Affedersiniz. Pardon.* | Excuse me. | The word ‘pardon’, which has French origins, is also frequently used in Turkish. |
Six Turkish sentences related to food and restaurants
Did somebody say food? Below, you can find sentences you can use while enjoying Turkish cuisine. For more, be sure to take a look at the Restaurant and Food and Drink topics.
| Turkish | English | Comments |
| İki kişilik bir masa lütfen. | A table for two, please. | |
| İki çay alabilir miyim lütfen? Bir çay alabilir miyim lütfen? | Can I have two teas, please? Can I have tea, please? | Don’t even think about leaving Turkey without trying Turkish tea! If you’d like to order it for more people, you can learn numbers in Turkish with the ‘Numbers up to Twenty’ topic in the uTalk app. |
| Türk kahvesi alabilir miyim lütfen? | Can I have a Turkish coffee, please? | Just like Turkish tea, we recommend you try Turkish coffee at lunchtime or after dinner. Watch out—Turkish coffee is quite strong! |
| Çok lezzetli. | Very delicious. | We might be biased, but we’re sure you’ll be saying this a lot in Turkey! |
| Ellerinize sağlık.* | Health to your hands. | This is a Turkish idiom that you can say to someone who cooked for you so you can express your gratitude. |
| Hesap lütfen. | Cheque, please. |
Five sentences you can use while strolling around
Whether you’re in the city or at a holiday resort, we’re sure you’ll be walking around, shopping, and discovering new things. So, you might need the following sentences:
| Turkish | English | Comments |
| Kolay gelsin! | May it come easy to you. | Another Turkish idiom which is used quite frequently. You can say this sentence to mean ‘keep up the good work’ before or at the end of communicating with someone who is working at that moment. |
| İndirim yapabilir misiniz? | Could I have a discount? | A must for holidays—don’t forget to bargain! |
| Sadece bakıyorum. | I’m just looking. | If you don’t need help while you’re in a store, just say this sentence. |
| Tuvaletler nerede? | Where are the restrooms? | |
| Nereden bilet alabilirim? | Where can I buy tickets? | You can use the same sentence to buy tickets for public transport, to see a film, or to go to a museum. |
Four crucial Turkish phrases to solve language problems
In Turkey, especially in places full of tourists, we guarantee you’ll come across Turks who can speak English. Interestingly enough, you’ll find that many merchants can have basic conversations not only in English, but also in many different languages. However, if you ever need or want to get help from a Turkish person, the following sentences may be useful to you.
| Turkish | English | Comments |
| İngilizce biliyor musunuz? | Do you speak English? | The verb ‘bilmek’ means ‘to know’; however, in this context it is used to mean ‘to speak’. |
| İngilizce bilen biri var mı? | Is there anyone who speaks English? | Of course, if you would like to mention a different language, you can swap the word ‘ingilizce’ with another language name. |
| Türkçe bilmiyorum. | I don’t speak Turkish. | |
| Buraya yazabilir misiniz? | Can you write it down here? | If the other person does not know the language(s) you speak, you can also use a translation tool to communicate. |
Do you want to learn more before arriving in Turkey?
If you’re flying with Turkish Airlines or Emirates, don’t forget to check out their inflight entertainment systems, where you might find some special video content we’ve prepared for passengers! Moreover, they’re not only available in English, but also in many different languages, so you can learn practical Turkish words and phrases with their correct pronunciation and make your flight more enjoyable.
At the same time, of course, the uTalk app can help you learn the basics of the Turkish language. Download it today and discover 60 different topics with five different games so you can learn by having fun.
We wish you a wonderful holiday and happy language learning!