Learning Turkish – 3 Great Phrases to Know

Getting ready for the Turkish festival in Istanbul in June means learning some key phrases to make the trip a whole lot easier. I also enjoy some of the Turkish dramas because they are soooooo much more romantic than our shows. The love poetry is beyond compare and if you are a fan of Courtly Love as I am, there are two shows you can’t miss. Seyit ve Sura and Muhtesem Yuzyil are packed with romance and adventure. And available on Netflix with English subtitles

So now let’s get started.

  1. Alla alla. Pronounced allahalla. Easily my favorite. It basically means Good Lord which has sooooooo many uses, especially in traffic. And believe me if you have ever been in Istanbul traffic you know exactly what I mean.
  2. Insallah. Pronounced eenshalla. It means God willing. How many workshops will I take at the festival? All of them, insallah!
  3. Tesekkur ederim. Pronounced teshekur ederim. Not only can you use it to say Thank you, it’s also a very polite way of saying I’m not interested or I’ve had enough

So let’s get practicing!