Turkey
Middle East · Turkish · Turkish Lira
Accept the tea — refusing çay closes doors that no amount of bargaining will reopen.
Today in Turkey
No Turkey stories in today's wires — read the global briefing.
5 phrases you need in Turkey
- HelloMerhabamehr-hah-BAH
- GoodbyeHoşça kalınHOSH-cha kah-luhn
- PleaseLütfenLOOT-fen
- Thank youTeşekkür ederimteh-shek-KEWR eh-deh-reem
- Excuse meAffedersinizah-feh-DEHR-see-neez
The Trovlr app drills all 8 Turkey phrases with audio, Duolingo-style. Get the app →
Know before you go
money
The lira is volatile — check the rate the week you travel, always pay in lira rather than accepting conversion to euros or dollars, and keep small notes for taxis.
scams
Istanbul classics: the shoe-shine brush 'accidentally' dropped at your feet, and the friendly stranger whose favorite bar ends in a four-figure bill. Both rely on your politeness — keep walking.
etiquette
Shoes off at mosques and homes; women need a headscarf inside mosques (the Blue Mosque lends them at the door). Bargaining is expected in the bazaar, never in supermarkets.
transport
An Istanbulkart covers metro, trams, buses, and ferries — and the public ferry across the Bosphorus is the best few lira you'll spend in the city.
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