Basic Turkish Phrases You'd Better Know

This chart is from Wikipedia.

Turkish is an Ural-Altaic language. I'm not going to tell about its details, but it may seem hard from the perspective of Indo-European languages in terms of suffixes. Learning a new language always has some difficulties of its own. Here, I will mention some of the basic phrases you may need in Istanbul and in Turkey general. Luckily, there are many people who know English and the ones who don't know any foreign languages are eager to help tourists with body language. Just follow the gestures and mimics.

I will give you a small dictionary. You can find the special letters and their pronunciation above. I'll also write some of the word pronunciation below, but not all. When you get the logic, you'll be able to read. Turkish is usually read in the way it is written. Don't bother about the suffixes and sentences. A couple of words will probably help you to implicate your intention.

Hello --> If formal, merhaba (mehr hah bah). If informal, selam (seel um).
How are you? -->  If formal, Nasılsınız? (na suhl suhn uz). If informal, Nasılsın? (na suhl suhn). More informal, Naber? (na berr)
Thank you. --> Teşekkür ederim (teh shek uer eh der eem), but you can shorten it like Teşekkürler (teh shek uer lerr).
You're welcome --> Rica ederim or Bir şey değil can be used, but they are hard to memorize. It will be ok if you bow or smile.
What is your name? --> If formal, Adınız nedir? (ad uhn uhz ne deer). If informal, Adın ne? (ad uhn ne)
My name is... --> Adım (ad uhm)
Nice to meet you. --> Memnun oldum (mem noon oll doom)
Please --> Lütfen (Luet fen)
Yes --> Evet (eh vet)
No --> Hayır (Hah yuhr)
Excuse me / I'm sorry --> There are many Turkish words for these, but if you say "pardon" just like in French, it will cover all of those. When you want to apologise, when you want your way, when you want to draw attention of a waiter, just say pardon.
Good bye --> If  you're the one who is going, say formally Hoşça kalın (hosh cha kaluhn) and informally Hoşça kal (hosh cha kal). If you are the one who is staying, say Güle Güle (guele guele). If you don't want to memorize this, just say bye and many people will understand it.
Welcome--> If formal, Hoş geldiniz (hosh gel din iz). If informal, Hoş geldin (hosh gel din).
I can't speak Turkish --> Instead of trying to remember "Türkçe konuşmuyorum", you can say no Turkish just in the Turkish way.
Do you speak English? --> Instead of trying to remember "İngilizce biliyor musunuz?", you can say "English?"
Look out! --> Dikkat (dik khat). You will probably hear it from the locals when you don't realize the crazy drivers coming directly to you. (Istanbul = traffic)
Good morning. --> Günaydın.
Good afternoon. --> Tünaydın.
Good day. --> İyi günler (e yee guen lerr). This is very common and you can use it throughout the day when both arriving and leaving.
Good evening. --> İyi akşamlar.
Good night. --> İyi geceler.
I don't understand. --> Anlamıyorum.
Where is the toilet? --> Tuvalet nerede? (too va let ner eh de). To sound nicer, locals usually ask it like "Lavabo nerede?". Lavabo means sink and I don't thinks it sounds nicer.
Now --> Şimdi (shim di)
Later --> Sonra
Before --> Önce
After --> Sonra, as well.
How much...? --> Ne kadar? You don't need a complete sentence, just show the thing.
What time is it? --> Saat kaç?

Help! --> İmdat! (Im daht) or Yardım edin! (yard um ed in)
Go away! --> Git! or more harshly Defol!
Stop! --> Dur! (door)
Thief! --> Hırsız! (huhr suhz)
I'm lost --> Kayboldum. (kahy bohl doom)

Doctor is doktor, police is police; you can say them as you say in English. I didn't write the long emergency sentences. Don't try to remember Turkish sentences, scream for the words or show the situation. I hope you'll never need those!

Where is ... --> ... nerede? (Taksim nerede? etc.)
Left --> sol
Right --> sağ
Here --> burada
There --> orada
Straight --> düz
Forwards --> ileri
Backwards --> geri
Taxi --> taksi
Breakfast --> kahvaltı
Lunch --> öğle yemeği
Supper --> akşam yemeği
Chicken --> tavuk
Beef --> sığır eti
Fish --> balık eti
Cheese --> peynir
Fruit --> meyve
Vegetable --> sebze
No meat --> Etsiz olsun.
Yellow cheese --> kaşar
Water --> su
Salt --> tuz
Wine --> şarap
Beer --> bira
Expensive --> pahalı
Cheap --> ucuz
Rent a car --> araba kiralama
Gas station --> benzinci, benzin istasyonu

If you have a smart phone and Wi-Fi, you won't have much difficulty If you don't have those, but you have chance to show the word, you won't probably need to memorize it, such as colours, foods, drinks and numbers. Let's finish this article with some common signs.

Open --> Açık
Closed --> Kapalı
Entrance --> Giriş
Exit --> Çıkış
Push --> İtiniz
Pull --> Çekiniz
Toilet --> Toilet/WC, sometimes only man and woman illustrations
Men --> Bay
Women --> Bayan
No entrance --> Girilmez