If you’re travelling to Türkiye and want a short list of Turkish survival phrases, this is it: 100 phrases grouped by the situations you’ll actually face, from greeting a shopkeeper to finding a pharmacy at night. You don’t need grammar to use them. Learn the ones for your next situation, say them with a smile, and Turks will happily meet you halfway.
Pronunciation hints are rough English approximations. Turkish is spelled almost exactly as it’s pronounced, so once you know a few letters, you can read anything: c = j, ç = ch, ş = sh, ı = uh, ğ is silent and lengthens the vowel, and ö/ü are as in German. All the phrases below use the polite siz form, which is right for strangers. Our guide to sen vs siz explains the difference.
1. The basics
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Merhaba | mer-hah-bah | Hello |
| Günaydın | gü-nahy-duhn | Good morning |
| İyi akşamlar | ee-yee ahk-shahm-lahr | Good evening |
| İyi geceler | ee-yee geh-jeh-ler | Good night |
| Hoşça kalın | hosh-chah kah-luhn | Goodbye (said by the one leaving) |
| Güle güle | gü-leh gü-leh | Goodbye (said by the one staying) |
| Evet / Hayır | eh-vet / hah-yuhr | Yes / No |
| Lütfen | lüt-fen | Please |
| Teşekkür ederim | teh-shek-kür eh-deh-reem | Thank you |
| Rica ederim | ree-jah eh-deh-reem | You’re welcome |
| Pardon | pahr-dohn | Excuse me / Sorry |
| Özür dilerim | ö-zür dee-leh-reem | I’m sorry (apology) |
| Tamam | tah-mahm | OK |
| Bakar mısınız? | bah-kahr muh-suh-nuhz | Excuse me? (to get attention) |
For more on these, see our guide to Turkish greetings.
2. When you don’t understand
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Türkçe bilmiyorum. | türk-cheh beel-mee-yoh-room | I don’t speak Turkish. |
| Biraz Türkçe biliyorum. | bee-rahz türk-cheh bee-lee-yoh-room | I speak a little Turkish. |
| İngilizce biliyor musunuz? | een-gee-leez-jeh bee-lee-yohr moo-soo-nooz | Do you speak English? |
| Anlamadım. | ahn-lah-mah-duhm | I didn’t understand. |
| Tekrar eder misiniz? | tek-rahr eh-der mee-see-neez | Could you repeat that? |
| Daha yavaş konuşur musunuz? | dah-hah yah-vahsh koh-noo-shoor moo-soo-nooz | Could you speak more slowly? |
| Bu ne demek? | boo neh deh-mek | What does this mean? |
| Türkçe … nasıl denir? | türk-cheh … nah-suhl deh-neer | How do you say … in Turkish? |
| Yazar mısınız? | yah-zahr muh-suh-nuhz | Could you write it down? |
| Bir dakika. | beer dah-kee-kah | One moment. |
Yes/no questions end with the question particle mı/mi/mu/mü, which is why so many polite requests end in misiniz or musunuz.
3. Directions
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| … nerede? | … neh-reh-deh | Where is …? |
| Tuvalet nerede? | too-vah-let neh-reh-deh | Where is the toilet? |
| Metro istasyonu nerede? | met-roh ees-tahs-yoh-noo neh-reh-deh | Where is the metro station? |
| Otobüs durağı nerede? | oh-toh-büs doo-rah-uh neh-reh-deh | Where is the bus stop? |
| Taksim’e nasıl giderim? | tahk-see-meh nah-suhl gee-deh-reem | How do I get to Taksim? |
| Uzak mı? / Yakın mı? | oo-zahk muh / yah-kuhn muh | Is it far? / Is it near? |
| Yürüyerek kaç dakika? | yü-rü-yeh-rek kahch dah-kee-kah | How many minutes on foot? |
| Sağa / Sola | sah-ah / soh-lah | To the right / To the left |
| Düz gidin. | düz gee-deen | Go straight on. |
| Haritada gösterir misiniz? | hah-ree-tah-dah gös-teh-reer mee-see-neez | Could you show me on the map? |
| Kayboldum. | kahy-bohl-doom | I’m lost. |
Taksim’e uses the dative case (-e/-a, “to”). Swap in any place: otele (to the hotel), havalimanına (to the airport).
4. Transport
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Bir bilet, lütfen. | beer bee-let lüt-fen | One ticket, please. |
| İstanbulkart nereden alabilirim? | ees-tahn-bool-kahrt neh-reh-den ah-lah-bee-lee-reem | Where can I buy an İstanbulkart? |
| Bu otobüs Kadıköy’e gidiyor mu? | boo oh-toh-büs kah-duh-kö-yeh gee-dee-yohr moo | Does this bus go to Kadıköy? |
| Ne zaman kalkıyor? | neh zah-mahn kahl-kuh-yohr | When does it leave? |
| Nerede inmeliyim? | neh-reh-deh een-meh-lee-yeem | Where should I get off? |
| İnecek var! | ee-neh-jek vahr | Stop, please! (on a bus or dolmuş) |
| Müsait bir yerde inebilir miyim? | mü-sah-eet beer yer-deh ee-neh-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I get off somewhere convenient? |
| Beni bu adrese götürür müsünüz? | beh-nee boo ahd-reh-seh gö-tü-rür mü-sü-nüz | Can you take me to this address? |
| Taksimetreyi açar mısınız? | tahk-see-met-reh-yee ah-chahr muh-suh-nuhz | Could you turn on the meter? |
| Havalimanına ne kadar? | hah-vah-lee-mah-nuh-nah neh kah-dahr | How much to the airport? |
| Burada durabilir misiniz? | boo-rah-dah doo-rah-bee-leer mee-see-neez | Could you stop here? |
Alabilirim and durabilir misiniz use the ability suffix -abil/-ebil (“can”). For more on buses, ferries and taxis, see our public transport guide.
5. At the hotel
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Rezervasyonum var. | reh-zer-vahs-yoh-noom vahr | I have a reservation. |
| Boş odanız var mı? | bosh oh-dah-nuhz vahr muh | Do you have a free room? |
| İki gecelik | ee-kee geh-jeh-leek | For two nights |
| Kahvaltı dahil mi? | kah-vahl-tuh dah-heel mee | Is breakfast included? |
| Wi-Fi şifresi ne? | wahy-fahy sheef-reh-see neh | What’s the Wi-Fi password? |
| Klima çalışmıyor. | klee-mah chah-luhsh-muh-yohr | The air conditioning isn’t working. |
| Sıcak su yok. | suh-jahk soo yohk | There’s no hot water. |
| Çıkış saat kaçta? | chuh-kuhsh sah-aht kahch-tah | What time is check-out? |
| Bavulumu burada bırakabilir miyim? | bah-voo-loo-moo boo-rah-dah buh-rah-kah-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I leave my suitcase here? |
| Anahtarı alabilir miyim? | ah-nah-tah-ruh ah-lah-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I have the key? |
Var (there is) and yok (there isn’t) do a lot of work for travellers; learn them early.
6. Eating and drinking
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| İki kişilik masa, lütfen. | ee-kee kee-shee-leek mah-sah lüt-fen | A table for two, please. |
| Menüyü alabilir miyim? | meh-nü-yü ah-lah-bee-leer mee-yeem | Could I have the menu? |
| Ne tavsiye edersiniz? | neh tahv-see-yeh eh-der-see-neez | What do you recommend? |
| Bu acı mı? | boo ah-juh muh | Is this spicy? |
| Et yemiyorum. | et yeh-mee-yoh-room | I don’t eat meat. |
| Fıstığa alerjim var. | fuhs-tuh-ah ah-ler-zheem vahr | I’m allergic to peanuts. |
| Su, lütfen. | soo lüt-fen | Water, please. |
| Bir çay, lütfen. | beer chahy lüt-fen | A tea, please. |
| Hesap, lütfen. | heh-sahp lüt-fen | The bill, please. |
| Kartla ödeyebilir miyim? | kahrt-lah ö-deh-yeh-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I pay by card? |
| Çok lezzetliydi. | chohk lez-zet-leey-dee | It was delicious. |
| Afiyet olsun. | ah-fee-yet ohl-soon | Enjoy your meal. |
Our restaurant ordering guide covers menus, dishes and paying in detail.
7. Shopping and money
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Bu ne kadar? | boo neh kah-dahr | How much is this? |
| Kaç lira? | kahch lee-rah | How many lira? |
| Çok pahalı. | chohk pah-hah-luh | It’s very expensive. |
| İndirim yapar mısınız? | een-dee-reem yah-pahr muh-suh-nuhz | Could you give me a discount? |
| Sadece bakıyorum. | sah-deh-jeh bah-kuh-yoh-room | I’m just looking. |
| Bunu alıyorum. | boo-noo ah-luh-yoh-room | I’ll take this. |
| Daha büyüğü var mı? | dah-hah bü-yü-ü vahr muh | Do you have a bigger one? |
| Deneyebilir miyim? | deh-neh-yeh-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I try it on? |
| Poşet istemiyorum. | poh-shet ees-teh-mee-yoh-room | I don’t need a bag. |
| Fiş alabilir miyim? | feesh ah-lah-bee-leer mee-yeem | Can I have a receipt? |
| ATM nerede? | ah-teh-meh neh-reh-deh | Where’s the cash machine? |
| Nakit / Kredi kartı | nah-keet / kreh-dee kahr-tuh | Cash / Credit card |
| Döviz bürosu nerede? | dö-veez bü-roh-soo neh-reh-deh | Where’s the currency exchange? |
Cash machines are also called bankamatik. For markets and bargaining, see our bazaar shopping guide.
8. Health and emergencies
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| İmdat! | eem-daht | Help! (emergency) |
| Yardım edin! | yahr-duhm eh-deen | Help me! |
| Ambulans çağırın! | ahm-boo-lahns chah-uh-ruhn | Call an ambulance! |
| Polisi çağırın! | poh-lee-see chah-uh-ruhn | Call the police! |
| Doktora ihtiyacım var. | dohk-toh-rah eeh-tee-yah-juhm vahr | I need a doctor. |
| Hastayım. | hahs-tah-yuhm | I’m ill. |
| Burası ağrıyor. | boo-rah-suh ah-ruh-yohr | It hurts here. |
| En yakın eczane nerede? | en yah-kuhn ej-zah-neh neh-reh-deh | Where’s the nearest pharmacy? |
| Nöbetçi eczane nerede? | nö-bet-chee ej-zah-neh neh-reh-deh | Where’s the duty (night) pharmacy? |
| Kayıp eşya bürosu nerede? | kah-yuhp esh-yah bü-roh-soo neh-reh-deh | Where’s the lost property office? |
| Pasaportumu kaybettim. | pah-sah-por-too-moo kahy-bet-teem | I’ve lost my passport. |
The emergency number is 112. At night and on Sundays, a rota of duty pharmacies (nöbetçi eczane) stays open; closed pharmacies post the address of the nearest one in their window. For symptoms and medicine vocabulary, see our pharmacy and hospital guide.
9. Small talk
| Turkish | Pronunciation hint | English |
|---|---|---|
| Adım … | ah-duhm | My name is … |
| Adınız ne? | ah-duh-nuhz neh | What’s your name? |
| Memnun oldum. | mem-noon ohl-doom | Nice to meet you. |
| Nerelisiniz? | neh-reh-lee-see-neez | Where are you from? |
| İngiltereliyim. | een-geel-teh-reh-lee-yeem | I’m from England. |
| Tatildeyim. | tah-teel-deh-yeem | I’m on holiday. |
| Türkiye’yi çok sevdim. | tür-kee-yeh-yee chohk sev-deem | I really like Türkiye. |
| Kolay gelsin. | koh-lahy gel-seen | Hope your work goes easily. |
| Görüşürüz. | gö-rü-shü-rüz | See you. |
Kolay gelsin is said to anyone who’s working, such as a shopkeeper or driver; it works like “have a good day” with extra warmth.
Dialogue: in a taxi
Yolcu: Merhaba. Beni bu adrese götürür müsünüz? Passenger: Hello. Could you take me to this address?
Şoför: Tabii. Sultanahmet, değil mi? Driver: Of course. Sultanahmet, right?
Yolcu: Evet. Taksimetreyi açar mısınız, lütfen? Passenger: Yes. Could you turn on the meter, please?
Şoför: Açık, abla. Nerelisiniz? Driver: It’s on. Where are you from?
Yolcu: İrlandalıyım. Biraz Türkçe biliyorum. Passenger: I’m Irish. I speak a little Turkish.
Şoför: Çok güzel konuşuyorsunuz! İşte geldik. Driver: You speak very well! Here we are.
Yolcu: Kartla ödeyebilir miyim? Passenger: Can I pay by card?
Şoför: Maalesef sadece nakit. Driver: Unfortunately, cash only.
Yolcu: Tamam. Buyurun. Kolay gelsin! Passenger: OK. Here you are. Have a good day!
Common mistakes
- Mixing up hoşça kalın and güle güle. The person leaving says Hoşça kalın; the person staying says Güle güle.
- Using özür dilerim for “excuse me”. Özür dilerim is an apology. To get past someone or get attention, say Pardon or Bakar mısınız?
- Pronouncing c as k or s. Rica is ree-jah, eczane is ej-zah-neh.
- Saying “Teşekkür” alone. Say Teşekkür ederim or Teşekkürler.
- Answering yok as if it were rude. Yok simply means “there isn’t any”; it’s neutral.
Mini-quiz
- How do you ask “Where is the pharmacy?”
- You’re on a dolmuş and want to get off. What do you call out?
- Translate: Anlamadım, tekrar eder misiniz?
- How do you call a waiter?
- You’re leaving a shop. Do you say Hoşça kalın or Güle güle?
Answers
- Eczane nerede?
- İnecek var!
- I didn’t understand; could you repeat that?
- Bakar mısınız?
- Hoşça kalın (the shopkeeper replies Güle güle).
Next steps
Want more phrases for more situations? Browse our Turkish phrasebook, and when you’re ready to go beyond memorised phrases, take the level test to see where to start.
