Getting around
Minibüs
İnecek var.
Stopping here.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Gaziantep
Turkey
Gaziantep is a southeastern city known across Turkey for its kitchens and its baklava.
How the language is used
Turkish is the public language. Talk about food, from the shop to the table, happens in Turkish.
In this city
- Language
- Turkish
- Also heard
- Mostly Turkish
- A local word
- Afiyet olsun — Enjoy your meal.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
Baklava
Bir kilo baklava.
A kilo of baklava.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The street
Çarşı
Kolay gelsin.
May your work go easily.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The counter
Sofra
Afiyet olsun.
Enjoy your meal.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The language through the day
Turkish is the public language. From the shop to the table, talk about food happens in Turkish.
Around Bey, Şehreküstü, Kale, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Gaziantep can run on four lines: “İnecek var.”, “Bir kilo baklava.”, “Kolay gelsin.”, and “Afiyet olsun.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- With strangers and in shops, siz is the polite you. Sen is for friends.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Gaziantep, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Afiyet olsun. It means Enjoy your meal..
Places you can see
- Zeugma Mosaic Museum — Halls of Roman mosaics brought from the Euphrates valley.
- Castle — A hilltop castle looking over the old neighbourhoods.
- Bakery quarter — Lanes of baklava ovens beside coppersmith workshops.
Food
Baklava is the city's signature, beside kebabs and pistachio sweets. You order in Turkish.
Getting around
You move by bus and minibus. Place names on the signs are Turkish, and you read them.
Daily life
You point, name a dish, and thank the cook in Turkish.
A few everyday phrases
Turkish
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Merhaba | Hello |
| Teşekkürler | Thank you |
| Günaydın | Good morning |
| Benim adım… | My name is… |
