Basic Nouns

1. Su

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Turkish has no gender. Case is marked by suffixes: su → suyu (accusative), suda (locative).

2. Yemek

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

3. Para

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

4. Tuvalet

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

5. Kâğıt mendil

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

   Grammar Note

   The â in "kâğıt" marks a long vowel; dropping the circumflex can change the reading.

6. İlaç

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

7. Bagaj

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

8. Anahtar

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

9. Bilet

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

10. Pasaport

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

11. Telefon

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

12. Şarj aleti

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

13. İstasyon

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

14. Hastane

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Polis

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

16. Mağaza

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

17. Oda

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

18. Yol

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

19. Aile

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

20. İsim

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. Baş

    Head

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting a headache or head injury; hair is the separate word "saç"

22. Göz

    Eye

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting eye pain or something in your eye

23. Diş

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting a toothache; a dentist is "diş hekimi"

24. Boğaz

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat; the neck itself is "boyun". The same word names the Bosphorus strait, but in a body context it means throat

25. Karın

    Belly, abdomen

    Usage

    Refers to the abdomen as a whole; the stomach organ is the separate word "mide"

26. Sırt

    Back

    Usage

    Point to this when reporting back pain; the lower back/waist is "bel"

27. Bel

    Lower back, waist

    Usage

    For lower-back pain; "Belim ağrıyor" = my lower back hurts

28. Bacak

    Leg

    Usage

    The leg from thigh to ankle; the foot itself is the separate word "ayak"

29. Ayak

    Foot

    Usage

    The foot below the ankle; the whole leg is "bacak". Shoe size is "ayak numarası"

30. El

    Hand

    Usage

    Refers to the hand; the arm is the separate word "kol"

31. Göğüs

    Chest

    Usage

    Refers to the chest; Turkish uses the same word for the breast, so say "göğüs kafesi" (ribcage) to be explicit. "Göğüs ağrısı" (chest pain) is unambiguous in a medical setting

32. İtfaiye aracı

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The vehicle itself; the fire service and its station are just itfaiye

33. Konsolosluk

    Consulate

    Usage

    The mission in a provincial city; the embassy in the capital is the separate word büyükelçilik

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