Culture Class: Essential Turkish Vocabulary
Let Turkish culture be your guide as you build up essential vocabulary and phrases.
Beginner

Curriculum

Culture Class: Essential Turkish Vocabulary

What are the 5 most popular sweets in Turkey? What vocabulary do I need to know to have a conversation with Turkish-speaking locals? You'll learn all this and more in this Culture Class Series! Vocabulary is essential to mastering Turkish. In this 25-lesson series, you'll learn the *most* essential Turkish vocabulary words related to culture and daily life. These words have been hand picked by our Turkish native speakers and cover topics like popular Turkish dishes, national holidays and cities.

Lesson # Title
(English)
Topic
(English)
Target sentences
(Target Language)
1 National Holidays Daily Life Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı
30 Ağustos Zafer Bayramı
19 Mayıs Atatürk'ü Anma Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı
29 Ekim Cumhuriyet Bayramı
Yeni Yıl
2 Food Food & Drink Midye Dolma
Beyaz Peynir
Simit
Döner
Balık ekmek
3 Drinks Food & Drink Rakı
Ayran
Çay
Türk Kahvesi
Salep
4 Home-cooked Meals Food & Drink Zeytinyağlı Enginar
Yaprak Sarma
Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye
Barbunya Pilaki
Su Böreği
5 Sweets and Desserts Food & Drink Baklava
Kazandibi
Güllaç
Aşure
Keşkül
6 Fruits Food & Drink Nar
Üzüm
İncir
Ayva
Kayısı
7 Vegetables Food & Drink Zeytinyağlı Enginar
Pırasa
Asma Yaprağı
Bezelye
Patlıcan
8 Food Souvenirs Society & Culture Sucuk
Lokum
Pişmaniye
Badem ezmesi
Kuru Kayısı
9 Traditional Culture Culture & Society Çaydaçıra
Bursa kılıç-kalkan
Sema gösterisi
Mehter Marşı Performansı
Zeybek dansı
10 Historical Figures Culture & Society Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Nazım Hikmet
Kanuni Sultan Süleyman
Fatih Sultan Mehmet
Türkan Saylan
11 Animals Geography & Nature Sivas Kangal Köpeği
Ankara kedisi
Van kedisi
Denizli Horozu
Ankara Tavşanı
12 Plants Geography & Nature ıhlamur
kekik
defne
hindiba
zeytin ağacı
13 Geographical Features Geography & Nature Peri Bacaları
Kaplıcalar
Falez
Yayla
Ova
14 Cities Geography & Nature İstanbul
İzmir
Ankara
Antalya
Bodrum
15 Sports Recreation & Leisure Yağlı Güreş
Cirit
Okçuluk
Rafting
futbol
16 Recreational Activities Recreation & Leisure Halı saha maçı
tavla
okey
kahve falına bakmak
nargile
17 Tourist Attractions and Places Recreation & Leisure Aya Sofya
Kapadokya
Pamukkale
Efes harabeleri
Yerebatan Sarayı
18 Inside a Home People & Homes Nazar Boncuğu
Terlik
Dantel örtü
Çaydanlık
terrace
19 Medicines and drugs Health & Emergencies Sirkeli su
Sedergine
Nane-limon
Aspirin
Kekik-biberiye yağı
20 Modes of transportation Transportation & around town Otobüs
Dolmuş
Minibüs
Metrobüs
Vapur
21 Shops or services in town Transportation & around town Bakkal
Market
Manav
Pazar
Eczane
22 Chain Stores Transportation & around town Koton
Vakko
Koçtaş
Beymen
Migros
23 Traditional Clothing Culture & Society Takunya
Kaftan
Şalvar
Bindallı
Oya
24 Musicians Fine Arts Fazıl Say
İdil Biret
Göksel Baktagir
Gürer Aykal
Orhan Gencebay
25 Writers Fine Arts Halikarnas Balıkçısı (Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı)
Aziz Nesin
Orhan Pamuk
Ömer Seyfettin
Yaşar Kemal