Guide · 7 min read

Turkish words from Turkish dizi: learn with your favourite series

Turkish TV series, dizi, are watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world, from Latin America to the Middle East and the Balkans. Many people start learning Turkish because they want to understand their favourite characters without subtitles. Good news: dizi repeat the same dramatic lines again and again, which makes them a great way to learn.

Fatih Koçoğlu · Turkish teacher

In this guide you will learn the words and sentences you hear in almost every dizi episode, grouped by situation, with tips on how to learn Turkish effectively from TV.

Love and romance

Love is at the heart of every dizi. "Seni seviyorum" (I love you) is usually said at the airport or in the rain, after twenty episodes of waiting. Couples call each other "aşkım" (my love) and "canım" (my dear). "Kalbimi çaldın" (you stole my heart) and "İlk görüşte aşk" (love at first sight) are classic romantic lines.

You will also hear "Seni özledim" (I missed you) and "Seninle olmak istiyorum" (I want to be with you). Notice how many romantic sentences start with "seni" or "seninle": the -i and -le endings show the object and "with".

Drama, jealousy and betrayal

No dizi survives without drama. "Kıskanıyorum" means "I'm jealous", "Yalan söylüyorsun!" is "You're lying!" and "Gerçeği söyle!" is "Tell the truth!". When the secret comes out, someone always shouts "Her şeyi biliyorum!" (I know everything!), and the episode ends.

Betrayal brings the heaviest lines: "Bu aileye ihanet ettin!" (you betrayed this family!) and "Hayatımı mahvettin!" (you ruined my life!). The answer is usually silence, a close-up and dramatic music.

▶ Video lessons

▶Gitme!

▶Sen benimsin!

▶İntikam

▶Yalan söylüyorsun!

▶Kader

▶Seni seviyorum

YouTube: @learnturkishwithfatih →

Revenge and power

Historical and mafia dizi love revenge. "İntikam alacağım!" means "I will take revenge!", and "Bu iş burada bitmez" (this isn't over) promises more episodes. Bosses say "Emredersiniz" to their superiors (yes, sir!) and "Gözümün önünden kaybol!" (get out of my sight) to their enemies.

Leaving and forgiving

When a character is about to leave, the other one cries "Gitme!" (don't go!) or "Ne olur, gitme!" (please, don't go!). Forgiveness scenes use "Beni affet" (forgive me) and its painful answer "Seni affetmeyeceğim!" (I won't forgive you!). And there is always fate: "Kader bizi ayırdı" (fate separated us).

Family words

Family is everything in dizi, and the family words are worth learning: anne (mother), baba (father), abi (older brother), abla (older sister), kardeş (sibling), amca (paternal uncle), dayı (maternal uncle), hala (paternal aunt), teyze (maternal aunt), and kayınvalide (mother-in-law), who is often the main source of drama. The grandmother, babaanne or anneanne, usually has the final word.

Everyday words you will hear in every episode

Beyond the drama, dizi are full of everyday expressions: "Allah kahretsin!" (damn it!), "Eyvah!" (oh no!), "Yok artık!" (no way!), "Aman!" (oh my!), "Keşke…" (if only…), "Hayırdır?" (what's going on?) and "Efendim?" (yes? / pardon?). Characters also constantly say "tamam" (okay) and "yani" (I mean).

The very last line of many episodes, shown on screen, is "Devam edecek…" (to be continued…). And after the finale, fans write "Bitti mi?" (is it over?) all over social media.

Devam edecek…
deh·vahm eh·deh·jehk
To be continued…Listen

Formal and old-fashioned words in historical dizi

Historical series set in the Ottoman Empire use a richer, older Turkish. You will hear "efendim" (sir, madam) at the end of many sentences, "hanım" for a lady and "bey" for a gentleman, as in "Ayşe Hanım" or "Mehmet Bey". These are still used today, always after the first name. Palace scenes add "Sultanım" (my sultan) and "Paşam" (my pasha). Learn the modern ones, hanım and bey, because you will use them with real people every day.

How to learn Turkish with dizi

Step one: watch with subtitles in your language and simply enjoy the story. Notice the lines that repeat. Step two: rewatch a short scene with Turkish subtitles. Pause after each sentence and repeat it out loud, copying the emotion. Dizi actors speak clearly and dramatically, which is perfect for practising intonation.

Step three: keep a small notebook of lines you love. Write the Turkish sentence, the meaning and when it is used. Step four: use them in real life, carefully. Shouting "İntikam alacağım!" at your Turkish friend over a lost game of tavla will make everyone laugh, and that is a very good way to remember a word.

A warning: dizi language can be more dramatic, formal or old-fashioned than everyday speech, especially in historical series. Words like "hünkârım" (my sovereign) are not for the coffee shop. Mix dizi with modern sources such as YouTube vlogs and my short videos, which show how people really talk.

Popular dizi to start with

For beginners, romantic comedies and family dramas with clear speech are ideal. Modern Istanbul stories teach you the language of today, while historical series teach rich, formal vocabulary. Choose something you truly enjoy; you will watch more and learn more. Do not try to understand every word. Aim for the feeling of each scene, and the words will follow.

If you love dizi and want a structured way to learn the everyday Turkish behind them, my book below collects 500 phrases, including a full chapter of TV series lines, with easy pronunciation.