B1 · 45 words

Travelling in Turkey in Turkish

Hamam and thermal baths, ruins and castles, bay and beach, souvenirs, street food and old customs.

Practise this list

From these 45 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

This list describes what you come across on a journey through Turkey — places, things and habits, without judging them. Place names are capitalised and take their endings after an apostrophe: Fethiye'de“in Fethiye”Kapadokya'daki“the one in Cappadocia” When the name comes before a word like Saray or Bölgesi, both are capitalised: Topkapı Sarayı. Many sentences about customs are in the passive with no agent, where English would say “you” or “one”: camiye girerken ayakkabılar çıkarılır “you take your shoes off when you enter a mosque”.

The words

Verb (1)

güneşlenmekto sunbatheVerbB1

Öğleden sonra biraz güneşlendik.In the afternoon we sunbathed for a while.

Conjugation of güneşlenmek →

Noun (41)

Grammar for these: No article, no gender · The plural with -ler and -lar

hamamhamam, Turkish bathNounB1

Eski hamamda önce terledik, sonra yıkandık.In the old hamam we first sweated, then washed.

keseexfoliating mitt; scrubNounB1

Hamamda görevli bize kese yaptı.In the hamam the attendant gave us a scrub.

kese yapmak “to scrub with the mitt”.

kaplıcathermal bath, hot springNounB1

Kışın kaplıcaya gidip sıcak suda dinlendik.In winter we went to the hot springs and relaxed in the warm water.

camimosqueNounB1

Camiye girerken ayakkabılar çıkarılır.You take your shoes off when you enter a mosque.

Before a vowel ending: camiye, camiyi. Visiting, women cover their hair, and shoulders and knees are covered.

ören yeriarchaeological site, ruinsNounB1

Efes ören yerini gezmek bütün günümüzü aldı.Visiting the ruins of Ephesus took us the whole day.

antik kentancient cityNounB1

Antik kentte iyi korunmuş bir tiyatro var.There is a well-preserved theatre in the ancient city.

kalecastle, fortressNounB1

Kalenin surlarından bütün şehir görünüyor.From the castle walls you can see the whole city.

saraypalaceNounB1

Topkapı Sarayı bugün müze olarak kullanılıyor.Topkapı Palace is used as a museum today.

kervansaraycaravanseraiNounB1

Eskiden tüccarlar yolda kervansaraylarda konaklardı.In the past merchants stayed overnight in caravanserais on the road.

hediyelik eşyasouvenirsNounB1

Çarşıdan biraz hediyelik eşya aldık.We bought a few souvenirs at the bazaar.

nazar boncuğuevil-eye beadNounB1

Birçok evin kapısında nazar boncuğu asılı.An evil-eye bead hangs on the door of many houses.

The blue glass “eye”; by old folk belief it protects against the evil eye. Today it is also a popular souvenir.

kilimkilim (woven rug)NounB1

Bu kilim elle dokunmuş.This kilim was woven by hand.

çinipainted tileNounB1

İznik çinileri mavi renkleriyle tanınır.İznik tiles are known for their blue colours.

cezvepot for Turkish coffeeNounB1

Türk kahvesi cezvede pişirilir.Turkish coffee is made in a small pot.

Türk kahvesiTurkish coffeeNounB1

Yemekten sonra herkese Türk kahvesi yaptım.After the meal I made everyone Turkish coffee.

You say beforehand how sweet: sade, orta, şekerli.

çay ocağıtea stall, small tea kitchenNounB1

İş yerimizin yanındaki çay ocağından çay söyledik.We ordered tea from the tea stall next to our office.

Also delivers tea to the shops and offices around.

simitsimit (sesame bread ring)NounB1

Vapurda simit alıp martılarla paylaştık.On the ferry we bought a simit and shared it with the gulls.

The t softens before a vowel: simidi.

midye dolmastuffed musselsNounB1

Sahilde akşam midye dolma yedik.In the evening we ate stuffed mussels by the shore.

mantımantı (small dumplings)NounB1

Mantının üstüne sarımsaklı yoğurt dökülür.Garlic yoghurt is poured over the mantı.

gözlemegözleme (filled flatbread)NounB1

Köy pazarında kadınlar gözleme yapıyordu.At the village market women were making gözleme.

yaylahigh pastureNounB1

Yazın birçok aile yaylaya çıkar.In summer many families move up to the high pastures.

yaylaya çıkmak “to go up to the pastures”, especially on the Black Sea.

şelalewaterfallNounB1

Şelalenin yanında piknik yaptık.We had a picnic next to the waterfall.

mağaracaveNounB1

Mağaranın içi yazın bile serin.It is cool inside the cave even in summer.

vadivalleyNounB1

Kapadokya'daki vadilerde uzun bir yürüyüş yaptık.We went on a long walk in the valleys of Cappadocia.

tekne turuboat tripNounB1

Fethiye'de bir günlük tekne turuna katıldık.In Fethiye we went on a day trip by boat.

koybay, coveNounB1

Tekne sessiz bir koyda demir attı.The boat dropped anchor in a quiet bay.

The same form is the imperative of koymak “put!”.

kumsalsandy beachNounB1

Kumsalda çocuklar kumdan kale yaptı.On the beach the children built a sandcastle.

şezlongsunbed, deckchairNounB1

Bu plajda şezlong kiralamak ücretli.On this beach you have to pay to hire a sunbed.

turtourNounB1

Rehberli bir şehir turuna katıldık.We went on a guided tour of the city.

gezitrip, excursionNounB1

Geziden yüzlerce fotoğrafla döndük.We came back from the trip with hundreds of photos.

görülecek yersight, place worth seeingNounB1

Bu şehirde çok görülecek yer var.There are lots of sights in this city.

Literally “place that will be seen”: a participle in -ecek.

gelenektraditionNounB1

Bayramda büyükleri ziyaret etmek eski bir gelenek.Visiting your elders at the festival is an old tradition.

The k softens before a vowel: geleneği.

âdetcustomNounB1

Yemekten sonra kahve içmek bizde âdettir.It is our custom to drink coffee after a meal.

With â; without it, adet means “item, piece”.

bölgeregionNounB1

Türkiye yedi coğrafi bölgeye ayrılır.Turkey is divided into seven geographical regions.

nargilehookah, water pipeNounB1

Bazı kafelerde nargile de içiliyor.Some cafés also serve hookah.

You “drink” it: nargile içmek.

tavlabackgammonNounB1

Dedem kahvede arkadaşlarıyla tavla oynar.My grandfather plays backgammon with his friends at the coffee house.

muavinbus attendantNounB1

Muavin yolculara su ve kolonya dağıttı.The bus attendant handed out water and cologne to the passengers.

On a long-distance coach he serves drinks and announces the stops.

mola yerirest stop, service stationNounB1

Otobüs mola yerinde yarım saat durdu.The coach stopped at the service station for half an hour.

simitçisimit sellerNounB1

Sabah iskelenin önündeki simitçiden bir simit aldım.In the morning I bought a simit from the seller by the pier.

faytonhorse-drawn carriageNounB1

Adada araba yok, faytonla ya da bisikletle geziliyor.There are no cars on the island, people get about by carriage or bicycle.

yörearea, regionNounB1

Bu yörenin halıları çok ünlü.The carpets of this area are very famous.

Adjective (3)

Grammar for these: The adjective comes first and stays the same · Bigger and biggest: “daha” and “en”

tarihîhistoricAdjectiveB1

Şehrin tarihî merkezi arabalara kapalı.The historic centre of the city is closed to cars.

Written with î at the end.

gelenekseltraditionalAdjectiveB1

Düğünde geleneksel kıyafetler giyildi.Traditional clothes were worn at the wedding.

yöreselregional, localAdjectiveB1

Her bölgenin kendi yöresel yemekleri var.Every region has its own local dishes.

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This list belongs to Everyday life in Turkey — four lists and 163 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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