# Turkish Phrases for North Cyprus: A Practical Phrasebook

> A practical Turkish phrasebook for North Cyprus — 25+ phrases with pronunciation, menu words, numbers, the tricky letters, and whether English is enough.

- Canonical: https://www.kiprarent.com/en/guide/turkish-phrases-north-cyprus/
- Updated: 2026-06-13
- Language: English
- Publisher: Kipra Rent A Car — https://www.kiprarent.com/

---

You do not strictly need Turkish in North Cyprus — **English works
across tourism**, in hotels, car rental, restaurants and most shops in
Famagusta, İskele and Long Beach, as of 2026. But a handful of phrases
turns transactions into warmth, and Turkish has one big advantage for a
learner: it is **phonetic**, so once you know the letters, you read
words exactly as written. This page is the practical kit — greetings,
ordering, numbers, the tricky letters — with a menu glossary that
points at the dishes in the
[what to eat in North Cyprus guide](/en/guide/what-to-eat-north-cyprus/).

## How do you pronounce Turkish letters?

Turkish is read as written once you know six letters that English does
not have. Learn these and the rest of the alphabet behaves:

| Letter | Sounds like | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **ı** (dotless i) | the 'a' in "about" | **ı**spanak (ISS-pa-nak) |
| **ş** | "sh" | te**ş**ekkür (teh-shek-KOOR) |
| **ç** | "ch" | **ç**ay (chai, tea) |
| **ğ** (soft g) | silent — lengthens the vowel before | da**ğ** (daah, mountain) |
| **ö** | German ö / the vowel in "her" | d**ö**ner (DUH-nehr) |
| **ü** | French u / "ew" rounded | **ü**zG**ü**m (grape) |

Two more that look familiar but differ: **c** is a soft "j" (cacık is
"ja-juk"), and **j** is the soft French j as in "measure". Stress in
Turkish is light and usually falls toward the end of the word.

## What are the essential Turkish phrases?

The everyday kit — greetings, courtesy and the survival lines. Capitals
mark the stressed syllable:

| English | Turkish | Pronunciation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hello | Merhaba | mehr-hah-BAH |
| Good morning | Günaydın | goon-eye-DUN |
| Goodbye (the one leaving) | Hoşça kal | HOSH-cha kal |
| Goodbye (the one staying) | Güle güle | goo-LEH goo-LEH |
| Please | Lütfen | LOOT-fen |
| Thank you | Teşekkürler | teh-shek-koor-LEHR |
| You're welcome | Rica ederim | ree-JAH eh-deh-REEM |
| Yes / No | Evet / Hayır | eh-VET / ha-YUR |
| Excuse me | Affedersiniz | af-feh-DEHR-see-neez |
| Sorry | Pardon / Özür dilerim | par-DON / uh-ZOOR dee-leh-REEM |
| Do you speak English? | İngilizce biliyor musunuz? | een-gee-LEEZ-jeh bee-lee-yor MOO-soo-nooz |
| I don't understand | Anlamıyorum | an-la-MUH-yo-room |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar? | neh ka-DAR |
| Where is...? | ... nerede? | neh-reh-DEH |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfen | heh-SAP LOOT-fen |
| Cheers | Şerefe | sheh-reh-FEH |

## How do you count and order in a restaurant?

Numbers first, then the ordering lines. The numbers you actually use,
one to ten plus the round ones:

| Number | Turkish | Number | Turkish |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | bir | 7 | yedi |
| 2 | iki | 8 | sekiz |
| 3 | üç | 9 | dokuz |
| 4 | dört | 10 | on |
| 5 | beş | 20 | yirmi |
| 6 | altı | 100 | yüz |

To order, the simplest pattern is **"bir [thing], lütfen"** — "one
[thing], please". A few ready lines:

- **A table for two** — İki kişilik bir masa (ee-KEE kee-shee-LEEK)
- **A coffee, please** — Bir kahve, lütfen
- **Water** — Su (soo) · **still / sparkling** — sade / maden suyu
- **The bill, please** — Hesap, lütfen
- **It was delicious** — Çok lezzetliydi (chok lez-zet-lee-DEE)

For Cypriot coffee specifically, you order it by sweetness: **sade**
(no sugar), **orta** (medium), **şekerli** (sweet). The
[Cypriot coffee guide](/en/guide/cypriot-coffee-where-to-drink/)
covers the ritual and where to drink it.

## What do the words on a Cypriot menu mean?

A mini-glossary so a menu reads, not guesses — these are the dishes the
[what to eat guide](/en/guide/what-to-eat-north-cyprus/) explains in
full:

| Menu word | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| **Hellim** | Halloumi — the island's grilling cheese |
| **Şeftali kebabı** | Caul-fat-wrapped grilled meat rolls (no peach involved) |
| **Molehiya** | Jute-leaf stew with lamb or chicken |
| **Kolokas** | Taro root, slow-cooked |
| **Pirohu** | Boiled dough parcels with cheese and mint |
| **Magarına bulli** | Pasta with boiled chicken, dry hellim and mint |
| **Çakıstes** | Cracked, dressed green olives |
| **Meze** | The spread of small plates that opens a meal |
| **Izgara** | Grilled / from the grill |
| **Tatlı** | Dessert (e.g. **samsı**, syrup pastry) |

A market run is a good low-pressure place to try the words out — stall
holders are patient, and the
[local markets guide](/en/guide/local-markets-north-cyprus/) covers the
days and the cash etiquette. For the courtesies you will lean on most
across a whole trip, the
[first-time visitors guide](/en/guide/first-time-visitors-north-cyprus/)
sets the wider scene.

## Is the Cypriot dialect different — and does it matter?

Lightly, and not in a way that blocks a visitor — standard Turkish is
understood everywhere. As colour rather than necessity, Cypriot Turkish
(Kıbrıs Türkçesi) is a documented dialect with a few common features
you may overhear:

- A softening of **k toward g** — *kahve* (coffee) said as **gave**.
- The casual greeting **napan?** for "how are you / what are you up to?"
- A scatter of British-era loanwords in everyday speech.

These are common examples drawn from dialect literature, offered as
friendly recognition, not a lesson — you will be understood perfectly
in standard Turkish or in English. The dialect is part of the local
character, the same way the food and the markets are.

One practical place the phrases pay off is the road: a "teşekkürler" at
a petrol station or a "nerede?" when you are looking for a turn. Kipra
Rent A Car is a Famagusta-based local company with VAT and third-party
insurance included in every displayed price and English spoken
throughout the booking and the
[Ercan airport handover](/en/ercan-airport-car-rental/) — so the
phrasebook stays a pleasure rather than a requirement.

---

A few words ready, the car the rest:
[book a car](https://app.kiprarent.com/en/book/cars) · WhatsApp
[+90 546 996 1004](https://wa.me/905469961004) — English spoken.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Do they speak English in North Cyprus?**

In tourism, yes — hotels, car rental, restaurants and most shops in Famagusta, İskele and Long Beach operate comfortably in English, as of 2026. A few Turkish phrases are courtesy rather than necessity, and they are warmly received; out in villages and at market stalls, a little Turkish goes further.

**How do you pronounce the Turkish letters ı, ş and ç?**

ı (dotless i) is the 'a' in 'about'; ş is 'sh'; ç is 'ch'. Also: ğ (soft g) lengthens the vowel before it and is barely sounded; ö is the German ö / the vowel in 'her'; ü is the French u. Turkish is phonetic — once you know the letters, words read as written.

**What is the one phrase to learn first?**

Teşekkürler (teh-shek-koor-LEHR), thank you — or the shorter teşekkür ederim. It is the phrase you will use most and the one most warmly received. Merhaba (hello) is a close second.

**Is the Cypriot dialect different from mainland Turkish?**

Lightly, in everyday speech — a softening of k toward g (kahve 'coffee' becomes gave), and local greetings like napan? for 'how are you?'. Standard Turkish is understood everywhere, so the dialect is colour rather than a barrier for a visitor.

## Sources

- tr.wikipedia.org — Kıbrıs Türkçesi (Cypriot Turkish dialect): https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%B1br%C4%B1s_T%C3%BCrk%C3%A7esi
- Nurettin Demir — Kıbrıs'ta Türkçe (academic, Çukurova University): https://turkoloji.cu.edu.tr/

---

Kipra Rent A Car — Famagusta, North Cyprus. No-deposit, no-credit-card car rental; VAT + insurance included.
Rezervasyon / Booking: https://app.kiprarent.com/book/cars · WhatsApp: +90 546 996 1004