Turkish Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts for Visitors

Hospitality (Misafirperverlik)

Hospitality is one of the values Turks are proudest of. There is even an expression for an unexpected visitor: Tanrı misafiri("God's guest"), meaning someone who should be welcomed whenever they turn up. As a visitor you can expect to be offered tea, food and help. Knowing a few customs — and the phrases that go with them — turns that hospitality into real connection.

Visiting Someone's Home

Do: Take your shoes off at the door. Your host will usually offer you a pair of slippers (terlik). Many people keep a row of guest slippers just for this.

Do: Bring a small gift — a box of baklava, chocolates, pastries or flowers is ideal. Hand it over with "Küçük bir şey getirdik" (We brought a little something).

Do: Answer the welcome correctly. When the host says "Hoş geldiniz!" (Welcome!), reply "Hoş bulduk!"

Don't: Walk onto carpets in your street shoes. Homes are kept spotless, and shoes indoors are seen as unclean.

Don't: Be surprised if your first "no" to food or tea isn't accepted. Hosts often insist a couple of times out of politeness. If you really don't want more, say "Çok teşekkürler, doydum" (Thank you very much, I'm full) with a smile and a hand on your chest.

Tea and Table Manners

Do: Accept tea when it is offered; it is a gesture of friendship. To signal that you don't want a refill, lay your teaspoon across the top of the glass.

Do: Wait for the host or the eldest person to start eating, and praise the food. When you finish, say "Elinize sağlık" (Health to your hands) to whoever cooked. The usual reply is "Afiyet olsun."

Do: Offer to pay when you eat out with Turkish friends — but expect a polite fight over the bill. Often the host or the person who invited pays, and it's normal to return the favour next time: "Bir dahaki sefere benden" (Next time is on me).

Don't: Blow your nose loudly at the table; excuse yourself instead.

Greetings and Respect for Elders

Do: Stand up when an older person enters the room, and greet them first. Use the formal siz with people you don't know and with elders (see our sen vs. siz guide).

Do: Expect handshakes in business and with new acquaintances, and cheek kisses among friends and family. Follow the other person's lead — some religiously observant people prefer not to shake hands with the opposite sex, so wait for a hand to be offered.

You may see younger people kiss an elder's right hand and then touch it to their forehead, especially during religious holidays (bayram). This is a gesture of respect within families; as a guest, you are not expected to do it.

Mosques and Religious Sites

Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair with a scarf (many mosques lend scarves at the door).
Remove your shoes before stepping onto the carpet.
Avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday prayers, and don't walk in front of people who are praying.
Keep your voice low and ask before photographing people.

Body Language

Don't: Point at people with your finger; gesture with an open hand instead.

Be aware: A "no" is often expressed by raising the eyebrows and tilting the head slightly back, sometimes with a click of the tongue ("cık"). It can look dismissive to foreigners, but it is a completely normal way of saying no. A side-to-side head shake usually means "I don't understand", not "no".

Be aware: Turks often stand closer and touch more (a hand on the arm, linking arms among friends) than many English speakers are used to. It's a sign of warmth.

Useful Phrases for Polite Visitors

Buyurun. – Please, go ahead / help yourself / come in (used constantly when offering something).
Kusura bakmayın. – Sorry / excuse me (for an inconvenience).
Zahmet oldu. – Sorry for the trouble (said when someone has gone out of their way). The reply is "Ne zahmeti!" (What trouble?).
Afiyet olsun. – Enjoy your meal.
Elinize sağlık. – Thank you for the food (literally "health to your hands").
Geçmiş olsun. – Get well soon / sorry for your trouble.
Size de iyi akşamlar. – Good evening to you too.

💡 The golden rule

Nobody expects a foreigner to know every custom. Turks are generally forgiving of mistakes and touched by any effort — a well-timed "Hoş bulduk" or "Elinize sağlık" will be remembered far longer than a forgotten slipper.

For more everyday expressions, see our guides to Turkish greetings and polite phrases and hospitality phrases.