Contents
How do you greet someone in Turkish?
Turkish Culture – Greetings Nina Evason, 2019
People generally greet one another with a handshake when meeting for the first time. However, some Muslims may prefer not to touch people of the opposite gender. The common greeting among friends and family is generally to give one or two kisses to the other person’s cheek. It is polite to give a slight bow or nod to someone of authority (older or superior) as you greet them. Women may only give a physical greeting to other women (i.e. with a handshake or kiss). Married women may be more hesitant to touch other men in greetings. Elders are approached first and treated with more respect during greetings. It is especially respectful to kiss them on their right hand and then place it to your own forehead. People commonly greet each other by saying ” Nasilsiniz ” (How are you?) or ” Merhaba ” (Hello). The Islamic greeting is ” Asalamu alaykum ” (Peace be upon you). People are often addressed by their first name followed with ” Bey ” for men and ” Hanim ” for women. For example, ” Yusuf Bey ” and ” Elif Hanim “. People who have a professional title expect it to be used, e.g. Doctor or Professor. This includes other professions such as lawyers ( Avukat ) and engineers ( Muhendis ). Turks may call someone whom they are not related to ‘ abla ‘ (older sister) or ‘ abi ‘ (older brother). This kind of address acknowledges the in the relationship whilst indicating fondness. It may be harder to end a conversation with a Turkish person than it is to start one. Farewells are typically prolonged as Turks have a tendency to restart conversation whilst saying goodbyes. The easiest way to end a conversation is to use a conventional expression that politely asks to leave with their permission – ” İzninizle ” (with your permission).
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How do you say hello in Turkish slang?
‘ Selam! ‘ – This is a standard way to say hi in Turkish. You could also say: ‘Merhaba!’ – This is how to say hello in Turkish – and is a little more formal.
How do you respond to Merhaba?
7. Replying to a Greeting: – Merhaba (Hello) or Sana da merhaba (Hello to you, too) are good replies to a casual merhaba, Other time-specific greetings such as good morning, good day, and good night, can be answered with the same phrase. The only difference is in answering Selamun aleyküm,
What to say to a Turkish girl?
Other Turkish Compliments You Must Know –
English | Turkish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
You have beautiful eyes. | Çok güzel gözlerin var. | |
You look gorgeous. | Harika görünüyorsun. | |
Your hair is so beautiful. | Saçların çok güzel. | |
You smell so good. | Çok güzel kokuyorsun. | |
Your smile is so sweet. | Gülüşün çok tatlı. | |
You look very nice. | Çok hoş görünüyorsun. | |
I love your style. | Tarzına bayıldım. |
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What do Turkish people say before eating?
Eating Habits of the Turks and Their Associated Behaviors Eating Habits of the Turks and Their Associated Behaviors F. Religious Influences According to the rules of Islam, one begins eating with a ” besmele,” a repetition of the blessing ” Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim ” (In the name of God, the merciful and compassionate).
- First the adults begin eating, then the children.
- They say “Water belongs to the child, the table to the adult.” This is an expression of respect for elders.
- For hundreds of years, women ate separately, after the men.
- A foreign writer stated that the practice among wealthy families of the men eating alone, separately from the women and children, was a show of respect for the father (D’Ohsson, p.29).
This tradition continues in some parts of Anatolia (Yıldıreak 1974). Girls and women eat what is left behind by the men. Sometimes no food may be left over for them. When working in the fields, everyone eats together. Where people eat together, the woman gives the best pieces of meat a chicken, for instance, to her male children as she dishes out the food; and in the case of a dish containing meat, picks the meat out for them.
The value given to male children corresponds to the belief that they must be well fed. In addition, during the era when men took several wives, men had to be well fed in order to maintain his virility. For this reason the man had to eat a lot, and of nutritious and oily dishes. Gluttony is never an accepted behavior; eating greedily or overeating is not looked upon favorably.
One influence of religion is the table prayer. One prays before or after eating. But this is not much practiced any more; only on important days do people pray at family gatherings. Other religious practices involving food include feeding the poor; special meals for iftar, the breaking of the fast during the month of Ramadan; and examples of societal solidarity such as making a sacrifice and distributing the meat.
- The influence of religion is also evident in the existence of certain haram, or forbidden foods.
- The expression “Eat lawful sustenance” is a religious saying.
- Yufka bread and roast lamb are considered foods of the Prophet.
- Certain other foods such as wheat, dates, squash and olives have religious connotations as well.
Before the meal begins, people wash their hands. It is customary to mention the name of God when beginning the meal, and to eat with the right hand. The Prophet also commanded: “O you who believe, eat your meals together as a family, do not scatter, because there is bounty in eating together.” Other expressions of religious values are that one should not find fault in the food, and to thank God after the meal.
- At the beginning of or during a meal, the host says afiyet olsun,
- With no exact counterpart in other languages, it means “may you have good health, may it bring you health.” Another expression said by a guest after a meal is ” ziyade olsun,” a wish for God to bring bounty to his hosts.
- The Hittites knew how to make flour into bread; bread making has been known in Anatolia since 2,000 B.C.
But it was commonly believed that this process was directed by gods or other hidden forces. For this reason, certain foods were considered sacred, and eaten during holy rituals, as in the case of foods served in the name of the gods. The fact that bread, flour, wheat and certain edible plants are considered sacred and paid more respect than others is a result of these ancient beliefs (Eyüboğlu 1981).
- The respect shown for food by the Turks is as much due to beliefs stemming from these ancient practices as it is to their contemporary religious beliefs.
- As we learn from Homer, the inhabitants of Western Anatolia held special celebrations with neighboring peoples and had feasts for which purpose sacrifices were made.
A portion of the meat of the animal sacrificed was distributed to the participants in the festivities and eaten together, and another portion was burned in the fire and thus presented to the gods and goddesses. We know that contemporary Anatolian traditions of feeding the poor and hungry in the name of God and of goodness, giving away food have their roots in the customs noted above (Eyüboğlu 1981).
- Feast Traditions Feast traditions are quite common among the Turks, and eating together on special occasions such as ceremonies or celebrations are common in Turkish history.
- There was a feast tradition in the religious ceremonies of ancient Anatolia.
- Feasts were prepared for weddings, when going to war, after successful work, burial ceremonies and in religious organizations.
Extensions of this tradition in modern Anatolia include weddings in particular, but also holidays such as Ramadan and Hıdırellez and occasions such as prayers for rain, migrations, mevlit ceremonies, long journeys, the arrival of guests, holidays, circumcisions, births, and other feasts.
- On these occasions the best and most loved foods are prepared and eaten in a celebratory atmosphere.
- Examples of such foods are meat dishes, pilav with meat, baklava, börek and various sweets (Yasa 1969, Güçbilmez 1972).
- Naturally the traditions vary according to region.
- Meal Times Meals are eaten three times a day.
The largest is generally the evening meal, but lunch is also a major meal, whether of villagers working in the fields or an urbanite in his apartment. The five o’clock tea tradition is a western tradition which has been adopted only in the cities. Tea is also drunk at dusk.
- The evening meal is eaten together by the entire family.
- Order in the Kitchen One can speak of a standard kitchen setup in rural areas.
- There are five to six shelves in the kitchen.
- On the lowest are jugs, water pitchers and tubs.
- On the next are pots, followed by saucepans, frying pans.
- Next come small bowls and soup bowls, and on the highest shelf are trays and porcelain plates (Koşay 1961).
Turks have quite a rich array of kitchen utensils. The main kitchenware consists of pots, large pans, serving and other trays, shallow copper cooking pans, frying pans, kettles, earthenware pots, buckets, ladles, stackable serving bowls for transporting food and bowls.
The variety in these wares is an indication of the richness of our cuisine. Formerly the kitchen was considered very important; when matchmakers came to a home to check on a prospective bride, they first wanted to see the kitchen. Changes in Our Culinary Traditions Turkish cooking has undergone much change within our lifetimes, and these changes have increased in recent times especially.
Rapid urbanization, industrialization and western culture are altering our cuisine (Toygar 1980). Other effects upon our cuisine are ready-made foods and fast food eaten on foot. Under the influence of the west, small shops selling sandwiches, pizza, hamburgers and grilled sandwiches are replacing sit-down restaurants, and beer halls are opening on practically every corner.
- As women enter the workforce, they have no time left to make traditional foods.
- For this reason they are choosing to buy food already prepared from the market, or convenience foods.
- As a result, the canning and readymade food industries are developing rapidly.
- More and more western food is being introduced in the press.
The recipes in cookbooks, magazines and newspapers are more and more for western foods. In our trade colleges for girls and hotelier schools, they mostly teach western dishes. In this way, and especially in the cities, our traditional cuisine is in danger of being forgotten.
How to start speaking Turkish?
10. Beginners Should Practice a Lot – As with any language, the best way to learn Turkish is to practice a lot. You need plenty of reading, writing, listening, and especially speaking practice to reach fluency. Find as many opportunities as you can to listen to or talk in Turkish.
Do you say Salaam in Turkey?
This Arabic greeting and its variants can be heard across the entire Muslim world. The response to this in Turkish is (ve) aleykümü’s-selam, which is derived from the Arabic wa-alaikum us-salām (And peace be upon you). Hello – Merhaba. Like, ‘Selam’, or ‘Merhaba’ is another standard way to say hello in Turkish.
Do Turkish say salam?
Selam is a word mostly young or younger people use to greet each other in Turkey, whereas Salam literally means salami. Please pay attention not confusing these words when speaking or writing someone.
How do you say thank you in Turkish formal?
3 Ways to Say Thank You in Turkish
Hi, everybody! This is Selin from TurkishClass101.com. |
Do you know how to say “thank you” in Turkish? In this lesson, you’ll learn three different ways to say “thank you” and how to respond. |
Let’s start with the formal way to say “Thank you.” |
Teşekkür ederim. |
Teşekkür ederim. |
It means “thank you” or literally “I give my thanks.” |
If you want to show your sincere appreciation for something, say this phrase. |
Çok teşekkür ederim. |
Çok teşekkür ederim |
The word çok means “very.” So this expression means “Thank you very much.” |
It expresses a deeper appreciation for a personal kindness. |
When you want to appreciate someone in a more casual way, you can use this expression. |
Teşekkürler. |
Teşekkürler. |
When you want to thank your friends, use this expression. |
Now you know 3 different ways to say “thank you” in Turkish! But how do you respond if someone thanks you? |
If someone says “thank you” in Turkish, simply say Bir şey değil. It means “You’re welcome.” |
Let’s wrap up this lesson by recapping what we’ve learned. Listen to the expressions and repeat after me. |
The formal way to say “Thank you.” |
Teşekkür ederim. |
*beep |
Teşekkür ederim. |
“Thank you so much.” |
Çok teşekkür ederim. |
*beep |
Çok teşekkür ederim. |
The casual way to say “thank you.” |
Teşekkürler. |
*beep |
Teşekkürler. |
And to respond, just say: |
Bir şey değil. |
*beep |
Bir şey değil. |
Well done! |
If you’re not sure which one to use, you can just say the casual one – teşekkürler. It can be used with anyone, anywhere, and at any time! |
You just learned three different ways to say “thank you” and how to respond in Turkish. |
And, if you really want to become fluent and speak Turkish from the very first lesson, go to TurkishClass101.com. |
I’ll see you next time. Bir dahaki dersimize kadar görüşmek üzere! |
3 Ways to Say Thank You in Turkish
What does Hey Wallah mean in Turkish?
Eyvallah – Wikipedia Eyvallah is a Turkish and Persian phrase with Arabic origin similar to OK. It is also a Turkish way of greeting others by putting your right hand on your chest. It may also refer to:
, album by Turkish singer Işın Karaca “Eyvallah”, 1997 song by from her album “Eyvallah”, 1998 song by Turkish singer from his album “Eyvallah”, 1998 song by Turkish singer from her album “Eyvallah”, 2013 song by the Turkish band during the in Istanbul “Eyvallah”, 2018 song by Turkish singer
How do Turkish people say no?
How to Say No in Turkish: Navigating a New Language Navigating a new language. A postcard of the harbor in Constantinople, ca.1914. Some people see learning a language as an obstacle course or, more euphemistically, as a second coming of age. Whichever way you look at it, when it comes to Turkish, English speakers are faced with a much harder task than with an Indo-European language.
- Why does the Turkish alphabet not contain the letter w ? Very few Turkish words remind me of their equivalents in the languages I know; nothing follows a familiar pattern.
- Over and again, I read meanings into words that turn out to be false friends.
- Why does engel mean “obstacle,” kalender “unconventional” (it can also be a male first name), tabak— “dish”? Why do you “drink” a cigarette— sigara içmek ? Why is a sunflower called a “moon flower,” and a hornet a “donkey bee”? Who came up with the idea to choose inmek for “get off”? Will I ever learn to stop dotting the ı? Turkish has no direct verbal equivalent for “to be” or “to have”: both are expressed using constructions that seem completely strange to my ears.
It is an agglutinative language, which means that person, tense and case are all expressed by adding appendages to a word. ” Istanbuldayım “—I am in Istanbul—is one word. As you don’t know the verb before you get to the end of the sentence, you often have to juggle several subordinate clauses while trying to work out what relation these components have to one another.
- Instead of he, she, and it, there’s one word: o,
- So, in the first place, you have to pay close attention to whom or what is being talked about.
- Most of the time, the aesthetic of sound in Turkish follows the principle of vocal harmony: whatever comes later has to fit in with the sequence of the vowels that has gone before.
The longer you study Turkish, the more you get a feel for the elegance of its complex syntax, which is impossible to render exactly in English because words are constructed differently and sentences are composed in another way. There’s a series of words that you have to look at or listen to carefully so as not to confuse them.
Iş means “winter” but kiş means “quiche”; kişi means “person,” but on the other hand, kız means “girl.” Sometimes a mere accent changes the meaning: kar means “snow,” and kâr —with a more open and longer-sounding â —means “profit.” It takes time to come to grips with some of the rules. Hayır, the direct equivalent of “no,” is seldom used.
The common way of saying no is yok ; it’s the opposite of var and means “there isn’t/aren’t.” An example from the marketplace: “Elma var mı?” (“Do you have any apples?”)”Yok” (“There aren’t any.”) Yok is often used together with a slight backward flick of the head and a short clicking of the tongue.
The word itself can often be left out and the meaning still comes across. A widening of the eyes can also mean no. Headshaking is understood as a reaction but is not itself common among Turks. Another polite way of saying no is the Arabic maalesef, meaning “unfortunately.” A clear no is only used when someone wants to strongly deny something.
And even then, sağol or “thanks” is often used. As a Christian foreigner, can you use expressions like Allah Allah (“gosh”), İn şallah (“hopefully”), or a greeting such as Selamün aleikum (literally “Peace be with you,” a greeting that is answered with Aleikum selam ) without hesitating? Indeed, as a foreigner, you can get away with a lot.
Many Turks appreciate the fact that you’ve made the effort to learn their language and are generous when you say something that might be considered a faux pas. There are about five thousand words with French roots— halüsinasyon, for example meaning hallucination. But those who believe that their French skills will get them halfway there are sorely mistaken.
Many words are also Arabic or Persian in origin. Which one should you use? The original Turkish word or the one with Persian or Arabic roots? Even today, two words are often used in parallel, and sometimes their meanings have drifted apart. This is where the struggle with the consequences of Atatürk’s legacy comes into play: by creating a modern Turkish language, he wanted to free Ottoman Turkish from its freight of foreign-language influence, as well as bridge the gulf between the dialects of intellectuals and lower-class citizens.
A committee was hired to replace Arabic and Persian loanwords with Anatolian, Azeri, Tatar, and artificial words. Within a few months, the changeover to the Latin alphabet was finalized. The use of Arabic script was made a punishable offence on January 1, 1929. Let’s cast a glance at Geoffrey Lewis’s (2002), in which the author unveils a series of “linguistic monstrosities” with a delight for detail.
One of Lewis’s interesting claims is that the greeting selâm is less common these days than merhaba (both have Arabic roots) because the lip movements for selâm in dubbed American films are more similar to hello than merhaba, Lewis makes no bones about his sympathies: in his opinion, modern Turkish does not have the diversity of meaning that Ottoman Turkish has.
But what is the alternative? The resurrection of Ottoman Turkish? A year ago, it was fiercely debated in Turkey whether it should be offered as a compulsory subject for high schools across the nation. But in the meantime, the discussion has ebbed away. There are simply not enough people who still master this vanishing form.
But all is not lost. Apart from Turkey’s population of almost eighty million people, Azerbaijan (ten million inhabitants) uses an alphabet similar to that of Turkish. And some thirty million Azeri Iranians speak a language very similar-sounding to Turkish, although they write it with Arabo-Persian characters.
In Uzbekistan, too, where a Turkic language is spoken by almost twenty-five million people, the numbers from one to five are bir, ikki, uch, t’ort, besh (in Turkish: bir, iki, ü ç, dört, be ş ), and even among the Uyghurs in northwest China, five thousand kilometers away from Istanbul, the way they are spoken is not so different.
Bernd Brunner’s most recent book is The Art of Lying Down: A Guide to Horizontal Living, He divides his time between Istanbul and Berlin. Translated from the German by Lucy Renner Jones, : How to Say No in Turkish: Navigating a New Language
How are you in Turkey?
7. Sorduğunuz için teşekkürler – Meaning: Thanks for asking. If you want to be extra polite, you can say “sorduğunuz için teşekkürler” which has a meaning thanks for asking about me. You should say this phrase only in formal situations.
What to reply to nasılsın?
İyiyim, teşekkürler – I am good, thanks Lastly, this phrase is used in responding to nasılsın informally.
Does Marhaba mean bye?
1. مرحبا ( Marhaba ) – “Hello/Hi” – How do you say “hello” in Arabic? The answer is مرحبا ( Marhaba ). Marhaba is the simplest type of greeting that is used across the Arabic speaking world. Marhaba is the ideal general greeting: it is soft to say and is considered to be polite and neutral.
Is it Salam or Merhaba?
Level Contributor 443 posts 68 reviews 46 helpful votes Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Seems both are used as greetings. Is usage different in different situation? Is one more casual then the other? Which one should be used if you are greeting a vendor on the street or a clerk in a store? Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 54,327 posts 64 reviews 248 helpful votes 1. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago 1stneuron, I would use them interchangeably. In fact the difference is like between “Hi” and “Hello”. Merhaba is probably a bit older usage but you can use any of these to greet a vendor on the street or a store salesman. enigma. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 443 posts 68 reviews 46 helpful votes 2. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 4,017 posts 3. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Selam is cIoser to “hi”. It is less formal and you say selam to your close friends. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 4,822 posts 56 reviews 81 helpful votes 4. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago merhaba – hello (formal) selam – hi (informal) Selamun Aleykum – universal Muslim greeting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-salamu_alaykum Selam is a shortened version of above. Can use any of these in most situations in daily life. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 1,140 posts 58 reviews 67 helpful votes 5. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago in fact being a native arabic speaking, i can assure you that marhaba is used only when you are saying HELLO, it can not be used when you are leaving and SALAM is a word that can be used in both way, when you are saying Hello or when you are leaving saying Goodbye. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 54,327 posts 64 reviews 248 helpful votes 6. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 443 posts 68 reviews 46 helpful votes 7. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Thanks for all your excellent insights. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 1,536 posts 12 reviews 7 helpful votes 8. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago My family used Merhaba when greeting vendors and waitstaff and had no issues. Actually most tourist places will great you with ‘hello’ if you at all Western European. Or perhaps we were the exception. Report inappropriate content Level Contributor 4,822 posts 56 reviews 81 helpful votes 9. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 9 years ago Heather you are right on your observation that most tourist places would have greeted you with a hello to make you welcome but moreso to entice you to their shop. Report inappropriate content 10. Re: Merhaba vs Selam 8 years ago Get answers to your questions about Istanbul
What does Hey Wallah mean in Turkish?
Eyvallah – Wikipedia Eyvallah is a Turkish and Persian phrase with Arabic origin similar to OK. It is also a Turkish way of greeting others by putting your right hand on your chest. It may also refer to:
, album by Turkish singer Işın Karaca “Eyvallah”, 1997 song by from her album “Eyvallah”, 1998 song by Turkish singer from his album “Eyvallah”, 1998 song by Turkish singer from her album “Eyvallah”, 2013 song by the Turkish band during the in Istanbul “Eyvallah”, 2018 song by Turkish singer
What is the difference between YOK and Hayir?
What is the difference between ‘Yok’ and ‘Hayır’ in Turkish? ‘Yok’ means ‘there is not’: ‘Süt yok’ – there is no milk, there is not any milk. ‘Hayır’ means ‘no’ (i.e. the opposite of ‘yes’. ‘Yok’ is, however, frequently used in colloquial Turkish to mean ‘no’.
Do you say Salaam in Turkey?
This Arabic greeting and its variants can be heard across the entire Muslim world. The response to this in Turkish is (ve) aleykümü’s-selam, which is derived from the Arabic wa-alaikum us-salām (And peace be upon you). Hello – Merhaba. Like, ‘Selam’, or ‘Merhaba’ is another standard way to say hello in Turkish.