كيف تُلفَظ أسماء الأطباق؟

The letters work like this: c = j (cacık), ç = ch (çorba), ş = sh (şiş), j = the French j (jambon), ı = short and swallowed, ö and ü as in German, and ğ lengthens and softens the sound. Stress usually falls on the last syllable.

Names often mispronounced: İskender (is-ken-DER), çiğ köfte (chee köf-TEH), künefe (kü-neh-FEH), güllaç (gül-LACH), mantı (man-TUH), simit (see-MEET), ayran (eye-RAN), menemen (meh-neh-MEN).

Not being able to say a name is no obstacle: pointing at the counter, at the menu, or showing a photo is accepted everywhere. A wrong pronunciation bothers nobody; the attempt is welcomed.