Traditions bring people together, shaping cultures in ways we often overlook—until seen from a fresh perspective. Turkish culture, famous for its warm hospitality, is packed with intriguing customs that go far beyond imagination.
Have you ever wondered why Turks spill water to send off travelers or how they use coffee grounds to predict the future? What about the Hıdrellez celebration, where people draw their wishes or the tradition of brides writing names under their wedding shoes? These fun Turkish traditions might surprise you, sometimes even shock you, but they’ll never bore you!
As this article contains words in Turkish, you can take a look at the guide on how to pronounce the Turkish alphabet.
Most people know that Turkish coffee is famous for its unique way of cooking and delicious taste. Most Turks drink at least one cup of coffee daily as a delightful habit. Until this part, everything seems pretty ordinary, but the exciting story begins now!
After drinking it, Turks cover the cup with the coffee plate and wait for it to get colder. Then, they open the cup and look at the coffee grounds to interpret symbols that reveal messages about the coffee drinker’s future!
The grounds may indicate letters of important people, numbers for significant dates, and various symbolic shapes. If they drink coffee with friends or family, they’ll often select one person as the "fortune teller" of the group. Some Turks, especially those with vivid imaginations, can be quite adept at reading these coffee-ground fortunes. Believe it or not, they love to hear these playful predictions!
Hıdrellez (or Hıdırellez) is a celebration held on the night of May 5th, symbolizing the meeting of the prophets Hıdır and İlyas on earth and marking the start of spring.
On this day, Turkish people draw their wishes on paper and bury them under a rose tree before evening. Some prefer to draw their wishes on the ground with stones near a rose bush. In the evening, people gather to light small fires and jump over them by making a wish.
Before sunrise, many retrieve their papers and toss them into a river or the sea to send their wishes to the universe. Though not a religious holiday, Hıdrellez holds deep cultural significance for ancient Turks, spreading hope and inspiring people to dream.
When seeing someone off on a journey, it is expected to find some Turks holding a small water container, ready to say goodbye to the traveler. They pour the water as the traveler departs, wishing them to “go and come back as smoothly as water flows.”
Hoping them to stay safe and return fast is a part of warm Turkish wishes. Elders still do this, but unfortunately, it’s one of those interesting Turkish traditions that younger ones have almost forgotten.
Another interesting Turkish tradition involves the bride writing names under her wedding shoes! As part of the celebration, the bride takes on the special task of inscribing the names of her single friends and relatives beneath her shoes—a fun way to predict who might get married soon.
Turkish weddings include hours of dancing with the happy couple and their guests. When the wedding party is over, the bride looks under her shoes to see which names have almost disappeared. If she can still read some of the guests’ names, it is bad luck for them; Turks believe these people will remain single for a long time. On the other hand, if she can hardly read some of the names or can't read them at all, it is believed that they will get married soon!
Türkiye has a very famous type of bead called Nazar Boncuğu (evil eyes), pronounced by /n/a/z/a/ɾ/ /b/o/n/dʒ/u/ɣ/1u/. It is made of blue glass and shaped like an eye with white and black dots. It is believed that this bead protects people.
The use of the Nazar Boncuğu as an accessory or decorative item in homes and offices is common in Türkiye. Its popularity is due not only to its aesthetic appeal but also to the belief that it shields against the negative energies of those with bad intentions. This is why it is often given as a gift to newborn babies, children, and loved ones.
Here is another one of the most interesting Turkish traditions focusing on good wishes! In some places in Türkiye, there are trees where people tie a piece of colorful fabric to their branches and make wishes.
It is not so common nowadays, but it is still possible to find wishing trees full of fabrics tied, dancing in the wind. No one can deny that these trees look mystical and encourage people to achieve their dreams—sometimes, hoping is the starting point of the best stories.
Even though it is possible to find some nature-based names like Rose in English-speaking countries, having a nature-based name is incredibly common in Turkish culture. In fact, many Turkish men and women share the name Doğa, which literally means “Nature.”
Here are some nature-based names and their Turkish versions:
It might be surprising to read that having a guest is a big deal if you have never visited a Turkish home. Hospitality means everything to Turks; they do their best to make the guests comfortable. Ironically, that can sometimes make the guests a little uncomfortable!
What makes being a guest difficult but also funny in Türkiye? Turks might insist that the guests keep eating the food, even if they are not hungry anymore. Turks could say, "If you don't eat more, I will be so sad and offended,” and mean it!
While they aim for their guests to eat enough (or maybe too much), they also ensure they feel comfortable and have a long time there. They might even try to convince their guests to stay overnight if it is already late!
Here is another very important but exhausting tradition for Turks—preparing so much food when someone is invited! Although a famous Turkish saying, "Misafir umduğunu değil, bulduğunu yer," means that guests eat whatever they find in the host's house instead of what they expect, the tradition of hosting is completely different in practice.
Cooking a lot of food before the guests arrive is always a rule that cannot be ignored. Turks love their guests to eat a lot and feel even better if they cannot finish everything. This allows them to insist that their guests take the extra food home!
Yogurt was invented by ancient nomadic Turks who stored milk in bags and fermented it naturally in warm climates. Over time, they improved the fermentation process and made yogurt a mainstay of their diet. They spread it through their migrations and trade routes to nearby countries and then around the world.
According to the Turks, it is almost impossible to think of a dish that would not be better with yogurt. Even if they do not usually eat yogurt for breakfast, their lunch and dinner are much tastier thanks to their traditional yogurt (not sweet) and a cold, salty, yogurt-based beverage called Ayran.
There are still many more fun Turkish traditions that people from every culture would be interested in and enjoy! After all, one of the best things about discovering other cultures is seeing the similarities and differences that make life more fascinating.
Think about Mexico's Día de Los Muertos, Denmark's cinnamon tradition, or India's Holi Festival. Our world is full of opportunities to experience and admire many colorful cultures and celebrations.
Learning new languages is the best way to do it, and learning English is the key to new experiences for non-native English speakers. If you already speak English, learning a new language and expanding your world more is always a good idea.
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