Turkey is a cultural melting pot that mixes influences from Europe and Asia. The country and its citizens have a history rich with tradition. Turkish is the most widely spoken language in Turkey and the country’s official language, but it is also an official language in Cyprus, North Macedonia, Romania, and Kosovo. Around 85 million people speak Turkish, 65 million of them as their first language and 20 million as a second language.

Turks love their language. Especially in the East, fewer people can fall back on English to get by, so it’s no wonder that foreign words become “Turkified”. The extent of this is clear when you see that English loan words are spelled the way they’re spoken, in examples such as “motosiklet” and “otomobil”. The pronunciation of Turkish words is characterised by vowel harmony. The language features low vowels (a, o, u, i) and high vowels (e, I, ö, ü). What makes this so special is that a given word will only use one or the other, with the only exceptions to this rule coming from loan words.

Politeness and respect are grave matters for Turks, and this is also reflected in their language. Refusals must always be justifiable and delivered with a tone of regret. Maintaining appearances is another manner of showing respect, which might be why Turkish men wear suit trousers in every social setting, whether one is attending a party or tending his goats.

Tea houses also belong to Turkey’s great traditions. It is common on a break or after work to catch up with friends or family over a cup of tea laden with sugar. Teatime is also taken as an opportunity to discuss business. This is why any invitation to tea must be accepted. Our experienced native speakers not only know the ins and outs of the vowel harmonies, but can convey the relevant nuances of the communication typical of Turkish. With our know-how, you’ll score points with your Turkish business partners and clients.

Have a tea break! We’ll handle your Turkish translations and editing.