Turkish Language
Do you want to get better at haggling, simple, learn some Turkish. It's always appreciated and not expected when you are bartering for goods. It also comes in handy when ordering at the bar or restaurant, try and see for your self.
Important Facts to Know About the Turkish Language:
The language is phonetic so it is pronounced in exactly the same way as it is read.
Letters
There are 29 letters in the alphabet
The letters Q , W and X are not in the Turkish alphabet.
The Turkish alphabet has some letters that are not present in English including ö ç ÅŸ ı ÄŸ ü.
The current Turkish alphabet was introduced in 1928 by the founder of Turkey called Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Useful Turkish Phrases
English - Turkish - Pronunciation
Hello - Merhaba - MARE-HA-BA
Good evening - Ä°yi akÅŸamlar - EE AK-SHAM-LAR
Good-bye (said by person leaving) - HoÅŸçakal - HOSH-CHA-KAL
Good-bye (said by person staying) - Güle güle - GUU-LEH GUU-LEH
How are you? - Nasılsın? - NA-SEL-SIN
I am fine, and you? - İyiyim, sen nasılsın? - EE-IM, SEN NA-SEL-SIN
Not very well - Çok iyi deÄŸil - CHOK EEYI DEY-EEL
Thank you - TeÅŸekkür ederim - TE-SH-QU-ERR ED-ERR-IM
You’re welcome - BirÅŸey deÄŸil. (in response to “Thank you”) - BEER-SHEY DEY-EEL
Please - Lütfen - LUT-FEN
Do you speak English? - Ä°ngilizce konuÅŸur musunuz? INN-GLIZ-JE CON-NUSH MUS-UN-UZ
Do you know English? - Ä°ngilizce biliyor musunuz? - INN-GLIZ-JE BILL-IYOR MUS-UN-UZ
I don’t speak Turkish - Türkçe bilmiyorum - TURK-JEH BILL-MI-YOR-UM
I don’t understand - Sizi anlamıyorum - SI-ZI ANN-LA-MA-YOR-UM
Could you please repeat - Åžunu tekrar edebilir misiniz - SHU-NU TEK-RA ED-EBB-ILL-EAR MISS-IN-IZ
Pleased to meet you - Tanıştığımıza sevindim./Memnum oldum - TAN-ISH-TI-IM-IZA SEV-IN-DIM/ MEM-NUM-OLL-DUM
Where is the washroom - Afedersiniz, tuvalet nerede? - AFF-ED-DER-SIN-IZ TOO-WA-LET NER-REY-DE
How much does it cost? - Ne kadar? - NAY KAD-AR
May I speak to [Name]? - [Name] ile görüÅŸebilir miyim? - ILL-EH GOR-EH-SHEBB-ILL-EAR ME-YIM
I am sorry - Özür dilerim - BILL-IYOR
Excuse me - Pardon - PARR-DON
Can you help me? - Afedersiniz? - AFF-ED-DAR-SAN-IZ
Yes - Evet - EV-ET
No - Hayır - HI-EAR
I don’t know - Bilmiyorum - BILL-ME-YOR-UM
Okay/Alright - Tamam - TAM-AM
Welcome - HoÅŸ Geldiniz - HOSH GEL-DIN-IZ
We came well (response to hoÅŸ geldiniz) - HoÅŸ Bulduk - HOSH BULL-DUK
Numbers
One - Bir - Beer
Two - Ici - Ikky
Three - Uc - Ooch
Four - Dort - Dort
Five - Bec - Besh
6 altı - you get the gist.........
7 yedi
8 sekiz
9 dokuz
10 on
11 on bir
12 on iki
13 on üç
14 on dört
15 on beÅŸ
16 on altı
17 on yedi
18 on sekiz
19 on dokuz
20 yirmi
30 otuz
40 kırk
50 elli
60 altmış
70 yetmiÅŸ
80 seksen
90 doksan
100 yüz
200 iki yüz
300 üç yüz
400 dört yüz
500 beÅŸ yüz
600 altı yüz
700 yedi yüz
800 sekiz yüz
900 dokuz yüz
1000 bin
2000 iki bin
3000 üç bin
4000 dört bin
5000 beÅŸ bin
6000 altı bin
7000 yedi bin
8000 sekiz bin
9000 dokuz bin
10.000 on bin
100.000 yüz bin
1.000.000 bir milyon
Tip!
Big Tip: my personal favourite restaurant has to be ALO 24. its been a regular in Altinkum as long as I can remember and is the authentic Turkish restaurant, take away and delivery service.