How are the dish names pronounced?
Short answer
Turkish is read as it is written: each letter has one sound. Two letters trap the foreign reader — “c” is the English j (cacık: ja-JUK), while “ç” is ch. The dotless “ı” is a short, swallowed sound, and “ğ” mostly just softens and can be treated as silent.
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.
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Updated: 2026-10-06 · The guide offers technical and cultural information, not health advice.