Turks are very sociable, as you will soon discover from your time in Turkey. People from countries with reserved social practises may be in awe of the friendly nature shown to everyone but relax and make new friends!
Turkish Culture & Social Traditions
Hoş Geldiniz!
You will hear this phrase often in Turkey. It means, “Welcome” and the words to
reply with are “Hos bulduk” which means, “We feel welcome.”
Greetings & Body Language
A kiss on both cheeks is the standard greeting between friends while strangers
will shake hands. Expressing ‘yes’ in Turkey is done by bowing your head, while ‘no’ is
shown by raising your head backwards while rolling your eyes.
Addressing People
Surnames were only introduced in Turkey in 1934 and because of this; most Turks
address each other by their first name or an endearing term. ‘Bey’ is added to the first
name of a man, or ‘Hanim’ to a woman’s name eg Mustafa Bey.
Other common terms are ‘abi’ (older brother), ‘abla’ (older sister), ‘amca’ (uncle) and
‘teyze’ (aunt). While ‘abi’ and ‘abla’ refer to young to middle-aged people, ‘teyze’ and
‘amca’ are reserved for the older generation.
Men Only
Culturally women do not go in Turkish teahouses because they are “men only”
environments. If in any doubt, look for other females, couples and families. Countless
tables filled with men playing backgammon means it is a no go area for females.
An invitation to a Turkish House
Turkish people invite anybody and everyone to their houses. It might be for breakfast
or a formal evening meal. Shoes are not worn in the house and visitors are
given slippers. Whether alcohol will be served is dependent on the family and their
background.
Marriage
Turks expect adults to marry and have children, and the vast majority do. Because
men should not lower their wives’ standard of living, they are not supposed to marry
women of a higher economic class. In traditional Turkish society, elders control the
selection of spouses and the marriage ceremony. Don’t be surprised to find yourself
invited to a marriage even if you are a complete stranger!
