Useful Turkish Words for a Rafting Trip

Rafting rules first: see what to do before and during your trip. Our guides also speak English, German, Russian, Arabic and Persian.

A Few Turkish Words for Your Rafting Day

You do not need any Turkish to raft with us: our guides work in six languages, and the safety briefing is given in a language your group understands. Still, a few Turkish words make the day more fun, help you read the signs around the canyon and always earn a smile from the guides and restaurant staff. Here is a short, practical list.

On the River

Turkish	Say it like	English
İleri	ee-leh-ree	Forward
Geri	geh-ree	Back
Dur	door	Stop
Tutun	too-toon	Hold on
Kürek	kew-rek	Paddle
Can yeleği	jahn yeh-leh-ee	Life jacket
Kask	kahsk	Helmet
Bot	boht	Boat, raft

In the briefing, our guides use the commands in your group's language, so you will not have to rely on Turkish when it matters.

Around the Canyon

Turkish	English
Köprü	Bridge (as in Köprülü Kanyon, "the canyon with a bridge")
Çay	Stream or river (and also tea)
Kanyon	Canyon
Şelale	Waterfall
Kaynak	Spring (of water)
Milli Park	National park
Köy	Village

At Lunch

Turkish	English
Tavuk şiş	Chicken skewers
Pilav	Rice
Salata	Salad
Alabalık	Trout (on request, extra charge, order in advance)
Su	Water
Çay	Tea

Polite Words That Go a Long Way

• Merhaba (mehr-hah-bah): Hello
• Teşekkürler (teh-shek-kewr-ler): Thank you
• Lütfen (lewt-fen): Please
• Evet / Hayır (eh-vet / hah-yuhr): Yes / No
• Çok güzel! (chock gew-zel): Very beautiful! Useful in the canyon.

Numbers and Times

Pickup times and sessions are easier to follow if you know a few numbers. Bir, iki, üç (beer, ee-kee, ewch) means one, two, three. On bir is eleven, as in the 11:00 session, and Saat kaçta? (sah-at kahch-tah) means "At what time?". If you need help, Yardım lütfen means "Help, please".

Why It Is Worth a Try

A "teşekkürler" to your guide at the end of the trip, or "çok güzel" at the first view of the canyon, turns a good day into a friendly one. If you want the full English terms, see our rafting basics and the rafting tour programme. Book on WhatsApp at +90 534 820 11 69.