Body Language in Turkey: Gestures & Their Meaning Explained

The most common body language movements and their meaning

Body language is an indispensable part of communication in Turkey. People express their thoughts and feelings through gestures and facial expressions. Body language plays an important role in everyday Turkish life, and certain movements form a common language across different social classes. These movements allow people to express themselves better and are of great importance for non-verbal communication. In meetings, at social events and in everyday conversations, body language is an important part of Turkish society. Understanding body language and facial expressions in Turkish culture is therefore one of the keys to more effective communication.

We place our hands on our heart to say thank you

The study also examined gestures and facial expressions that are frequently used in our society. It showed that women and men between 25 and 34 years of age often place a hand on their heart to say thank you.

The two most common facial expressions of men between 25 and 34 are raising the head and eyebrows to say no, and placing their hands on their stomach when they are full. Women in the same age group shake their head to say no and write in the air to ask for the bill.

We believe in the evil eye and are afraid of it.

Among the most frequent answers given by participants were gestures such as knocking on wood and pulling the earlobe against the evil eye. Around 14 % of the study participants said they use these gestures frequently. This shows that we fear the evil eye and resort to these gestures in such situations, as the research on body language, movements and meanings shows.

This study by Preply once again highlights the importance of body language and gestures in our everyday life and their significance in our culture. It offers tips for more effective and more conscious communication in interpersonal relationships. Preply's detailed data also underline that Turkish society culturally has a sincere temperament.

The results of this study will raise Turks' awareness of the use of body language and contribute to more effective and more meaningful communication.

Facial expressions and eye movements:

In Turkish society, facial expressions and eye movements, referred to as non-verbal communication, are used frequently. For example, squinting or frowning expresses an immediate reaction to a situation, while eye contact is regarded as a sign of sincerity and trust. The most common facial movements are:

Nodding: It means agreement or yes.

Raising the head or raising the eyebrows: It means refusal or no.

Shaking the head: It is used to say no, but also to express displeasure or reproach.

Hand movements and gestures among Turks

Turks may well have answered silently with hand movements when explaining a subject or answering a question. What are the most common body language movements of Turks and what do they mean?

Placing a hand on the heart: If the person you are talking to places a hand on their heart, they either want to greet you or thank you.

Thumbs up: This universal gesture, which is also common in Turkish society, means “okay, successful, very good”.

Kissing the fingertips: A Turk makes this gesture when he really enjoys the food, the surroundings or the news he receives.

Writing in the air: Don't be surprised if, in a restaurant or café, you see people putting their thumb and index finger together and pretending to write in the air; with this gesture they are asking the waiter for the bill.

Putting the thumb to the ear and the little finger to the mouth: If a friend makes this gesture in a noisy place, he means: “I'll call you, answer the phone.” In this position the fingers look like a telephone. Isn't that very practical?

Shaking a fist in the air: Anyone who clenches their hands tightly into fists signals that they have achieved something they really wanted. Your friend, a young person who is happy when his team scores a goal or he gets the grade he wanted in an exam, might make this gesture.

Turkish cultural customs

The Turkish flag at the window or on the balcony: In Turkey you often see Turkish flags hanging from balconies or windows. With them, Turks show their national sentiment, celebrate or commemorate. Flags are also often raised on national holidays.

Celebrating in a convoy: Don't be surprised if cars drive past one behind the other with loud music. For weddings, sporting successes or national holidays, people drive through the city with Turkish flags.

Fortune-telling with Turkish coffee:

One of the customs that strikes foreigners most is making predictions based on the coffee grounds and the shapes left in the cup after drinking Turkish coffee. Fortune-telling from coffee grounds is widespread in Turkey. Fortune-tellers use the coffee grounds to make predictions about a person's situation, past and future. If you see two people drinking coffee and looking attentively into the cup, don't worry. They are probably talking about their future.

Kissing on the cheek and shaking hands: When greeting and saying goodbye, people kiss each other twice on the cheek while shaking hands. Regardless of gender, people may embrace depending on how close they are. You may experience this when greeting a Turk.

Kissing the hand:

This is a traditional gesture with which young people show their respect and love towards their elders. Usually children and young people kiss the hands of their grandparents or of other people they respect. Adults also kiss the cheeks of the person kissing their hand to show their love.

Tea and coffee consumption:

These are the drinks most commonly consumed in everyday life. Tea in a slender glass and Turkish coffee in a small cup are drunk from breakfast until late at night.

Eating:

At the beginning of a meal people say “Afiyet olsun”, and after the meal “Hazeliniz iyi” to the person who prepared the food. Turks often ask questions such as “Would you like some more?” or “Would you like some of this?” to make sure that you are full and have tried everything. Usually the host puts food on the guest's plate and serves it. In Turkey it is customary not to leave any food on the plate.

Evil eye: It is one of the most common objects in Turkey. The evil eye can be found in homes, at the workplace, in vehicles, on valuable objects and even with newborn babies. The evil eye amulets, mostly eye-shaped, serve as protection against the evil eye. It is believed that these blue stones absorb evil intentions. Many people wear evil eye amulets in everyday life out of belief, tradition or as jewellery.

Entering a home without shoes: In Turkey, shoes are taken off when entering a home. If you are invited into a Turkish home, you should take off your shoes unless told otherwise. Inside the house, slippers are available for residents and guests and are worn indoors.

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