Here are some Turkish basics to help you understand the language. If you notice closely, you will find a lot of words similar in your language as Turkish has tons of loanwords. Turkish vocabulary is very easy to grasp and you will slowly realize this as you progress further.
Greetings in Turkish (Selamlaşma)
Turkish greetings depend on formality and time of day.
Basic Greetings
Merhaba → Hello
Selam → Hi (informal)
Günaydın → Good morning
İyi akşamlar → Good evening
İyi geceler → Good night
Hoşça kal → Goodbye (informal, when YOU are leaving)
Hoşça kalın → Goodbye (formal/plural)
Güle güle → Goodbye (when THEY are leaving)
Important Cultural Note
Turkish has two forms of “you”:
- Sen → informal (friends, family)
- Siz → formal / plural
This affects verb endings. We will practice that soon.
How to Ask “How Are You?”
Informal:
- Nasılsın? → How are you? (to one person, informal)
Formal:
- Nasılsınız? → How are you? (formal or plural)
Notice:
- -sın = informal ending
- -sınız = formal/plural ending
Replies
İyiyim → I am good
Çok iyiyim → I am very good
Fena değilim → I’m not bad
Kötüyüm → I am bad
Teşekkür ederim → Thank you
Sağ olun → Thank you (formal)
Personal Pronouns (Kişi Zamirleri)
These are essential.
| Turkish | English |
| Ben | I |
| Sen | You (Informal) |
| O | He / She / It |
| Biz | We |
| Siz | You (Formal / Plural) |
| Onlar | They |
The Verb “To Be” in Turkish
In English:
- I am
- You are
- He is
In Turkish:
There is NO separate word for “am/is/are” in present tense.
Instead, endings are attached directly to nouns.
Example: “I am Sana”
English:
I am Sana.
Turkish:
Ben Sana’yım.
Breakdown:
- Sana→ name
- -yım → I am
You can also drop the pronoun:
Sana’yım. (Because the ending already shows “I”)
The Present “To Be” Endings
| Pronoun | Ending | Example |
| Ben | -im / -ım / -um / -üm | Öğrenciyim (I am a student) |
| Sen | -sin / -sın | Öğrencisin |
| O | (no ending) | O öğrenci |
| Biz | -iz / -ız | Öğrenciyiz |
| Siz | -siniz / -sınız | Öğrencisiniz |
| Onlar | -ler / -lar | Öğrenciler |
Notice vowel harmony again.
Saying Your Name
Adın ne? → What is your name? (informal)
Adınız ne? → What is your name? (formal)
Answer:
Benim adım Sana.
My name is Sana.
Breakdown:
- Benim → my
- ad → name
- -ım → my
Literally:
“My name is Sana.”
Asking Where Someone Is From
Nerelisin? → Where are you from? (informal)
Nerelisiniz? → formal
Answer:
Pakistanlıyım. → I am Pakistani.
Türküm. → I am Turkish.
Notice the nationality suffix:
- -lı / -li / -lu / -lü
Example:
- Pakistan → Pakistanlı
- Türkiye → Türkiyeli
Basic Sentence Structure
Turkish sentence order:
Subject + Object + Verb
English:
I drink tea.
Turkish:
Ben çay içerim.
Literally:
I tea drink.
The verb comes at the END. Always remember this rule.
Yes / No Questions
In Turkish, yes/no questions use:
-mi / -mı / -mu / -mü
Example:
Öğrenci misin?
Are you a student?
Breakdown:
- Öğrenci → student
- mi → question particle
- sin → you are
Answer:
Evet → Yes
Hayır → No
Introducing Yourself
Let’s build a short introduction:
Merhaba.
Ben Sana.
Tacikistanlıyım.
Öğrenciyim.
Memnun oldum.
Translation:
Hello.
I am Sana.
I am from Tajikistan.
I am a student.
Nice to meet you.
Polite Expressions
Lütfen → Please
Teşekkür ederim → Thank you
Rica ederim → You’re welcome
Özür dilerim → I am sorry
These are essential for daily interaction. Now, let’s practice a mini dialogue.
A: Merhaba. Nasılsın?
B: İyiyim, teşekkür ederim. Sen nasılsın?
A: Ben de iyiyim. Adın ne?
B: Benim adım Sana. Senin adın ne?
A: Benim adım Ahmet. Nerelisin?
B: Pakistanlıyım.
Pro tip: Try to consume as much content in Turkish as possible. These blogs will help you revise but languages are vast and the best tip to cover a wide range of vocabulary is through watching content in your target language.
Formality in Turkish
In Turkish society:
- Use Siz with elders.
- Use Sen with friends.
- Formal speech shows respect.
Respect is deeply embedded in the Turkish language and it is essential that you learn basic formal words before you go on to engage with locals. This would leave a good impression.
