How to Say “Is This Seat Taken?” in Turkish
The usual way to say “Is this seat taken?” in Turkish is Burası boş mu? It is neutral: safe in almost any situation. Below are 3 alternatives, how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.
In Turkish
Burası boş mu?
- Literally
- “this place empty is-it?”
- Register
- Neutralsafe in almost any situation
How Burası boş mu? is built
- bura-sıthis place (bura + -sı)
- boşempty, free
- muquestion particle
Other ways to say “Is this seat taken?”
- Buraya oturabilir miyim?Neutral
“may I sit here?”
Asks permission.
- Bu koltuk dolu mu?Neutral
“is this seat taken?”
Dolu = full, taken.
- Bu sandalyeyi alabilir miyim?Neutral
“may I take this chair?”
In cafés.
How to reply
Boş, buyurun.
It’s free, go ahead.
Maalesef dolu, arkadaşım geliyor.
Sorry, it’s taken; my friend is coming.
Example dialogue
- A
Pardon, burası boş mu?
Excuse me, is this seat free?
- B
Evet, buyurun oturun.
Yes, please sit down.
Related phrases
All phrases →More travel & directions
Go deeper
“Is this seat taken?” in Turkish: FAQ
How do you say “Is this seat taken” in Turkish?
The most common way is Burası boş mu? (literally “this place empty is-it?”), which is neutral: safe in almost any situation. You will also hear Buraya oturabilir miyim (“may I sit here?”): asks permission.
How do you reply to Burası boş mu?
Typical replies are Boş, buyurun. (“It’s free, go ahead.”) and Maalesef dolu, arkadaşım geliyor. (“Sorry, it’s taken; my friend is coming.”).
What does each part of Burası boş mu mean?
bura-sı = this place (bura + -sı); boş = empty, free; mu = question particle. Burası means “this place”, so burası boş mu? (is this place empty?) is the natural question.
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