Turkish Coffee -How to Drink

Turkish coffee still maintains it's charm and mystry mainly among the western travellers. Generally people are more interested in "How Turkish Coffee is made or brewed" you can find a lot of information on the net. But with my recent experience I realized it's more important to learn "How to drink Turkish Coffee"!

Turks generally prefer to drink Turkish coffee after the meals, mostly after dinner.

Time:
Firstly you should have enough time for Turkish Coffee. It's a not a coffee to drink on the go. Mostly suitable time and surrounding would be as such, sitting comfortably with your friends or family and don't have any time constraint.

Presentation/Serving:

Presentation is one of the most important part of the ceremony. You never drink Turkish coffee from a cartoon or a glass but you require special small coffee cups for that. Options to serve Turkish Coffee with would be; chocolate, Turkish delight or liquer. 

Drinking Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee generally comes with a glass of water.Before having a sip from your coffee you should drink the water, not all as much as you want. The purpose of water is to clear the aroma in your mouth so you can enjoy the taste of coffee more. It's already a small cup so sip slowly. My husband treats it like it's any other coffee and generally orders the second one within 10 minutes, that's wrong:) it's meant to be drunken small amount like espresso.

Last but the least, actually more important aspect of drinking Turkish coffe, never try to finish it all! Don't mix it with espresso. At the bottom of the coffee cup there are coffee grounds, eating them would take all the joy and taste of drinking Turkish Coffee.  

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs-Nil-Ben Buraya Çıplak Geldim

I like Nil and her songs very much but to be honest this song didn't hit me first time I listened to, more I listened I liked it more and more!
The name of the song gives a strange feeling first "Ben buraya çıplak geldim" =I came here naked!
Surely this doesn't mean coming to restaurant or shop naked but coming into life. And below find the lyrics;

Main grammer point is "I shall", "Shall I" structure; eyim/ayım; gel+eyim=I shall come
bil+eyim=I shall know
Ne bil+eyim=What shall I know
Important note during daily spoken Turkish this bileyim reads as biliyim as in the song.

Bazı Sabahlar Uyandım Kayıp Haldeyim

Sanırsın Gölgeyim Ayaktayken Yerdeyim

Ne Biliyim, Ne Biliyim Herkes işinde

Bin Bir Dilek Peşinde Ben Mi Tövbeliyim

Tövbe Tövbeliyim Ne Biliyim Ne Biliyim

Nefes Aldım Nefes Verdim Burdayım

Pes Etmem Yok Ben Buraya Çıplak Geldim

Hey Hayat Utanmam Yok Utanmam Yok

Bazen Ne Yapsam Bir Bir Berabereyim

Sorsalar Ben Neyim Ne Malüp Ne Galibim

Ne Biliyim, Ne Biliyim Hep Aynı Soru

Hem Zor Hem De Doğru Geçerken Günlerim

Nerde Cesaretim Ne Biliyim, Ne Biliyim

Nefes Aldım Nefes Verdim Burdayım

Per Etmem Yok Ben Buraya Çıplak Geldim

Hey Hayat Utanmam Yok, Utanmam Yok

Yoook Yoook Yook Yok Pes Etmem Yok

Yok Utanmam Yok Nefes Aldım Nefes Verdim

Burdayım Pes Etmem Yok Ben Buraya Çıplak Geldim

He Hayat Utanmam Yok Utanmam Yok

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs-7 (practise "-mış")

Turkish music: Ferhat Göçer-Unutmuş Çoktan

Tek yönüm sendin izini kaybettim

Bir iz bir yön olmadan düştüm yollara

Bir sağa çarptım, bir sola çarptım

Savruldukça savruldum hep çıkmazlara

Çınladıkça adın kulağımı kapattım

Bir son veremedim içimdeki tiz çığlıklara

Hep sendeydi aklım, bedeni aldattım

Savruldukça savruldum koldan kollara

Bakmadı gitti dönmedi bile arkasına

Eğdim boynumu çaresizce galip gelen gururuma of

Duydum ellere yarmış, yerini yeller almış çoktan

Bense kendimi salmış, yüreğini yaralar sarmış yoktan

Bir kızı bir oğlu varmış, kendi hayatına dalmış

En acısı da beni hatırlamamış unutmuş çoktan 

Learn -mış= used in different forms:

1.) if the information is second hand, it gives "I guess..., I heard..." meaning-not certain

 beni unutmuş=(I heard/I understand)she forgot me

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs; Yalın-Kalamadım

Another Turkish Song to learn Turkish. The topic you can practise here is "could not" in Turkish; which is the following suffix "ama" for first person ;I.


1.)kalamadım=I couldn't stay
    yap+ama+m=I can't do            in  past tense= yap+ama+dım=I couldn't do
    gel+eme+m=I can't come         in past tense= gel+eme+dim=I couldn't come


2.)büyürken=while I grow up
iken=While and attached to verbs as following +ken


3.)yüzleşince=when I confront
ince=when; yap+ınca=when doing; gelince=when coming


İçim sızlıyor doğru 
Ama sana git demekten başka yol mu var 
Onların doğrularıyla büyürken 
İçine hayat çekmek değil kolay 
Sesim çıkmıyor doğru 

Ama bağırsam kime ne faydası var 
Bedelli mutluluklar düzeninde 
Yüreğe güvenmek değil kolay 
Gerçeğin kenarından hayatın düzenine 
Bir yol bulup ben akamadım 
Bugün budur pencere yarın kışla yüzleşince 
Çok üzgünüm kalamadım


Listen to Yalın's other song and practise "wish=keşke" in Turkish.

Fatmagul is back! New Season Starts/Episode 40-part-1

Now Kerim is in prison as a suspect of Vural's murder. Fatmagül and her family move in with the lawyer.

Below are the Turkish script for you to practise Turkish. To follow the script and the video you can open 2 frames.

Asu returns Turkey and finds out about Vural...

Asu=Uyandırdm dimi?

Mustafa=Saat 3'ü yirmi geçiyor burada sen çok uzaklardasın galiba.

Asu=Yok döndüm, bugün döndüm, yani dün.

Mustafa=Hoşgeldin o zaman

Hayırdır.

Asu=Bana Fatmagül'ün telefonu lazım.

Mustafa=Neden?

Asu=Onunla konuşacaklarım var. Lütfen abisinin falan telefonu varsa verir misin.

Mustafa=İyi de, ne konuşacaksın? Ne oldu?

Asu=Vural'ı kerim öldürmedi  (Kerim didn't kill Vural)

Mustafa=Ne?

Asu=O suçsuz, o öldürmedi onu.

Mustafa=Nereden biliyorsun?  (Where do you know)

Asu=Çünkü o gece ben de oradaydım.

Mustafa=Neredesin sen?

Asu=Oteldeyim.Lütfen ona ulaşacağım bir numara söyle bana.

Mustafa=Tamam,tamam.

Yanına geliyorum bir dakika. Otelin adını söyle.

Asu=Gelmene gerek yok, sen numarayı ver yeter. Otelin adını söyle dedim.

Mustafa=Tamam birazdan orada olacağım. (I will be there in a bit)

Gelince konuşuruz tamam mı. Tamam mı, Asu? Ağlama bak.

Asu=Tamam

Then goes back to "1 gün önce" (1 day earlier)

Learn Keşke (Wish) with Turkish Song-5, Keşke from Yalın

Another Turkish song with lyrics which would help to learn Turkish

"Keşke" means "wish" in English and is often mixed with "if"="eğer" due to having the same suffix; se/sa.

Some examples;

Keşke gelsen= Wish you come

Keşke hava güzel olsa=Wish the weather is good.

But where as if it's attached to the verb after tense suffix that gives "if"  meaning;

Eğer gelirsen=If you come

Eğer hava güzel+se=If the weather is good.

The best way is to practise with Turkish song, so that meaning settles in the mind. Here is a lovely Turkish song from Yalın, what a coincidence the name of the song is  Keşke.

Yalın-"Keşke"

Bırak saygından kuşkum yok
Hatrımdan kalıyorsan hiç kalma bırak
Sensiz olmaya itirazım var
Canımı çok yakacak,izlerin bana yeter

Keşke oyunlar oynamasaydık
Üzülmeseydi şarkılar
Hala sana yazılıyorlar
Hala buram buram sen kokuyorlar

Bırak sevginden şüphem yok
Arkadaş kalıyorsak ben yapamam bırak  (if we stay friends)
Sessiz kalmaya ihtiyacım var
Yanlızlığı senle özledim,uzak dur bana yeter


Keşke oyunlar oynamasaydık
Üzülmeseydi şarkılar
Hala sana yazılıyorlar
Hala buram buram sen kokuyorlar


Keşke oyunlar oynamasaydık
Üzülmeseydi şarkılar
Hala sana yazılıyorlar
Hala buram buram sen kokuyorlar 

Listen to other Turkish songs and practise Turkish.

Learn Turkish with music-4-Nil Karaibrahimgil-Hakkında Her şeyi Duymak İstiyorum

Nil is one of my favorite Turkish singer, she takes you away from real life to wonderland, you feel lighter while listening to her and watching her clips. Her songs are generally helpful for Turkish Learners she has songs called, Kek (Cake), Rüzgar (Wind) etc easy going, easy vocab.
To listen to her other song in this blog "Evlenmek Gerek" please click here.

I include lyrics below, this song uses basic form of the verb without any tense dur=stop, çık=go out , dön=return etc.

Plus you will hear negative form "me/ma"; Bak+ma=don't look; yap+ma=don't do ; gel+me=don't come etc.

Dur dur dur dur dur

Bakma öyle bakma öyle

Çık damarımdan

Yok yok yok yok

Yapma böyle yapma böyle

Gitmem yanından

Çalma öyle gelme böyle

Dön kapım dön kapım

Cık cık cık

Deme öyle ona söyleme

Kork cevabımdan

Turkish Learners' Tips :Turkish Machines! Türk Makineleri

During your Turkish learning process you will discover many different and interesting things about Turkish Language. I'm listing these interesting facts in this blog as much as I can so that as Turkish learner you can see them all together which makes it easier to remember.

With technology advancing every century there is a new tool or machine that are introduced to our lives. And afterwards it's linguistic professionals job to find names to these new additions such as washing machine, mobile phone, printer etc. In Turkey general trend is to give functional names to these equipments that explains the purpose of them. I include some of them below with the common usage of "makine"="machine"

Fotoğraf makinesi=Camera

Çamaşır makinesi= Washing Machine

Bulaşık makinesi=  Dish washer

Hesap makinesi=  Calculator

Fotokopi makinesi= Photocopier

Traş makinesi= Shaver

Saç kurutma makinesi= Hairdryer

Çim makinesi=  Grass cutter

Additional (s)i suffix comes due to forming "noun compounds". When 2 nouns comes together to form a new meaning -i (ı,u,ü) suffix is used with (s) buffer when there is a vowel clash, like Türk Kahve+si, Güneş krem+i etc.

For recent technological vocabulary Turkish tend to use international English equivalents, even though there are Turkish versions. Therefore in Turkey you would be understood if you use below list in English;

email=e-posta

internet=internet

Printer=yazıcı

Scanner=tarayıcı

domain name=alan adı

hosting=web alanı

web=web (ağ)

webmaster= web sorumlusu (ağ sorumlusu)

  

Turkish Olympiad Commericals 2011-Ukranian Boy

Every year Turkish Olympiads take place in Turkey, where people all around the world come to Turkey and compete to be the best among Turkish speakers with their performances. More about Turkish Olympiads visit the web site.
I'm sharing the commercials of this year, they are really good. I have seen 3 so far, this one is in Ukraine, Ukrainian boy is selling fish in fish market and speaking very cute and fluent Turkish.
Below is the lines he says, these are typical bazaar sales person sentences would be useful.

-Gel, vatandaş, gel, abla sen de gel.
-Derya kuzuları bunlar
-Günlük taze balık. Balkonda ye, komşunla ye. Gel vatandaş gel.

Some Strange Facts About Turkish Language, Useful Tips For Turkish Learners

Like every language Turkish has some tricky, funny and confusing parts for learners, I say for learners as they are very normal for us as natives. As a tutor it's a nice experience for me as well to discover these and I believe would be very useful for Turkish learners.

1.) Usage of "geliyorum" : it means="I'm coming". But you will experience it is used when we are actually "going"! For instance you are sitting in living room with your friend and he stands up to go to kitchen to have a glass of water. When he stands up he would say "geliyorum-I'm coming" even tough going, here the underlining meaning when we use "coming" in the place of "going" is "going for a very short time", it's like I'm almost back ,or popping to kitchen.


2.)Tense difference comparing to English
The following meanings are made in English in past tense whereas in Turkish we use them in present;
(present tense)I understand=Anladım (past tense)
(present tense) Coming=Geldim (past tense)

3.) Similar verbs; Very easy to get confused cause they only have one letter difference;
1.Diş=tooth
2.Dış=out
3.Duş=shower
4.Düş=fall, dream

Learn Turkish-Turkish Phrases

·         Geçmiş olsun! “Get well soon!”

·         Hayırlı Olsun' wishing someone success in whatever they are about to endeavour.

·         Hayırlı Yolculuklar wishing a nice trip.

·         Hayırlı İşler when you enter or leave a place of business..as you are wishing good business or prosperity

·         Kolay Gelsin when someone is about to start a new job/doing a job,/ or any type of work etc..it means "Come Easy"(may it be easy for you)

·         Güle Güle Kullan You would say this when someone has bought something new, literally means "Wear It With a Smile" -" Have Enjoyment With It" ..or "I Hope It Brings You Joy"

·         Şerefe! = Cheers!

Fatmagulun sucu ne Episode 38 Fatmagul's Birthday

Happy Birthday to you! song is used as "İyiki doğdun.....name.."
Happy Birthday wishes are as follows; "Doğum günün kutlu olsun" or "nice yıllara"

Song: İyiki doğdun Fatmagul, İyiki doğdun Fatmagul, iyiki doğdun, iyiki doğdun, iyiki doğdun Fatmagul..
Murat: Doğum günün kutlu olsun halacım.
Fatmagul:Teşekkürler bir tanem.
Rahmi: Mutlu yıllar kardeşim.Hep gülsün yüzün.
Fatmagul: Teşekkür ederim abicim.
Meryem: Sağlıkla iyi yaşa inşallah.
Fatmagul: Amin.
Lawyer-1: Fatmagulcum her şey gönlünce olsun yavrum.
Lawyer-2:Doğum günün kutlu olsun.
Fatmagul: Teşekkür ederim.
Kerim: İyiki doğmuşsun.
Fatmagul: Teşekkür ederim.
-Kerim abi, herkes hediyesini verdi, senin hediyeni göremedik.
FatmagulO dün erdi hediyesini.
Meryem: Hadi bakalım, kes Fatmagul pastanı.

Fatmagulun sucu ne Episode 38 Trailer

Fatmagul: Sen bütün hayatımı koydun önüme.Unutmak istediğim her şeyi.
Kerim: Fatmagul...
Yeniden bir başlangıç yapalım, her şeyi geride bırakalım.
Fatmagul: Keşke her şey geride kalabilse.
Sen istersen kalır Fatmagul. Sen yardım edersen, sen istersen yaramızı kanırtan o anıyı birlikte unutacağız.
Fatmagul: İstiyorum, istiyorum.
Kerim: Ben seni çok seviyorumç

Fatmagulun sucu ne Episode 37, Kerim and Fatmagul

Fatmagul confess that she trust Kerim..


Fatmagul: Sana iyileşmek istediğimi söylerken demiştim, ben de yeniden birine güvenmek istiyorum diye.
Şimdi daha güvende hissediyorum kendimi.
Kerim: Teşekkür ederim.

Learn Turkish-Homonyms-Words with more than one meaning

While learning Turkish language these homonyms might confuse you at first but then you will see the benefit. I call them "buy one get 2 free". Below I'm including a list of words that which has more than one meanings. Feel free to contribute to the list.


Turkish word    English meanings-1 /  meaning -2  / meaning -3
Yüz=                 100                       / swim            / face
At=                   Throw                  / horse  
Yaz=                 summer               / write
Gül=                  rose                    / smile/laugh      /female name
İç=                    drink                   / inside
Ben=                 I                         / beauty spot

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs-3; Bir günah Gibi (Like a Sin) from Askı Memnu

Ajda Pekkan-Toygar Işıklı Duet from Askı Memnu.


Askı Memnu has finished in Turkey but interest to the characters, music and scenes still continue.
This song is very good love Song by Ajda Pekkan. For the series, Askı memnu a duet has been made with Toygar Işıklı who does most of the soundracks for series in Turkey including Fatmagulun sucu ne, Ezel this year. Below I'm including the lyrics of "Bir günah gibi" song with scenes from askı memnu.

This video is the full song

Bir sayfa kopuyor zamandan
Ayrılırken sen yanımdan
Bu aşkın daha en başından
Korkuyordum ben sonundan

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs-2; Karadeniz Türküsü (Blacksea Folkloric Song)

After your request for more "türkü":) I'm adding another one from a film; Av Mevsimi. Personally I like to listen to turkus with only one instrument or just natural voice. Therefore I'm sharing this one there is no instrument then audience using cutlery to make rhythm! Name of the turku is "Haydee" Come on=Haydi. This is a Black sea region turku (Karadeniz türküsü) written by Kazım Koyuncu, therefore again there are different accents and spellings, don't focus on these too much. Like Fatmagul's turku this one is also great scene full of joy. Enjoy!
PS: Don't worry about vowel harmony as there isn't on this one.
For instance it says elun instead of elin;
sevdami instead of sevdamı etc.


Conversation;
-Mustafa Abi
...
-Ulan deli, ulan deli..


Haydi millet!
Bir iki, üç (1,2,3) Haydeee..

Fatmagulun Sucu Ne Episode 32, Kerim and Fatmagul's Song

Amazing last scene of Fatmagulun sucu ne episode 32. For Turkish Learners it would be a difficult one to understand as the pronunciation is a bit different with Aegean accent. But nice clip to show Turkish way of entertainment, sitting by the table with your friends and singing local songs among the group. Below including the Fatmagul's Last Scene Turkish song lyrics. This is an Aegean folkloric song (Ege Türküsü).

As one difference in the song "my women" ="kadınım" is said here as "gadınım"
The structure; Öleyim, Gideyim, olayım is I shall die, I shall go, I shall be.
The other one dursam, yuğsam; I wish I stop etc.
mersin here is no the city but the herb that grows in Aegean.
bi danem is "bir tanem" means my only one

Evlerinin Önü Mersin, Turkish Lyrics

Evlerinin önü mersin
Ah sular içmem gadınım tersin tersin
Mevlâ'm seni bana versin

Al hançerini kadınım vur ben öleyim
Ah kapınızda bi danem, kul ben olayım

Evlerinin önü susam
Ah su bulsam da gadınım çevremi yuğsam
Açsam yüzünü baksam dursam

Al hançerini kadınım vur ben öleyim
Ah kapınızda bi danem, kul ben olayım

Have fun while you are learning Turkish

To Learn Turkish

Learning a language is not necessarily a fun process, find some tips and ways to turn your learning experience into fun using series, songs etc and to learn fast.
Before reading this I assume you already learned the parts on the left picture, basic, hi, how are you, thank you and personal pronouns; Ben, sen O etc.

Learn Turkish Next Step 

Turkish Tenses

Learn at least 2 Turkish tenses, most common ones present continuous tense; gidiyorum, geliyorum and past tense, geldim, gittim.
First one is not too bad just attach -iyor suffix to the root of the verb; gid+iyor+um, gel+iyor+um.
Past tense has a bit more to remember suffix is dim/din/di for I, you and s/he it.; gel+dim; git+tim.

If you are interested in more details above 2 rules applies; consonant mutation (gittim, d becomes t) and vowel harmony.

Read the rest of the article

Learn Turkish with Turkish Songs-1; Atiye Bu mudur?

Atiye is the recent rising star, here is her new hit song, this is a cover music from Hossam Habib, Shoft B'einaya. They are both nice, Atiye's version is more upbeat. Good coincidence Hossam's video has been filmed in Istanbul by a Turkish director. Below are the Turkish lyrics for you to practise Turkish. As usual please if you are complete beginner check the related sections first. Following Turkish lyrics and listen to the song would definitely help to improve your learning Turkish.




Binbir gece masalı gibisin
Oyunun içinde oyunların var
Gel memleket meselesi değil aşk
Gel memleket meselesi değil aşk
İnsan unutur her şeyi her an
Kor hançeri yüreğini dağlar
Ömrün sonu kelebek gibidir
Göz açıncaya bitecek bir gün
Aşk kalbinin değerini anlar


Bu mudur, budur
Yürek her şeyi sana buyurur
Yut gel yeminlerini
Banane aşk mesele
Bu mudur dokunmadan
Aşk lütfen doyurur
Kalp kalbe karşı değil
Kimene aşk mesele