How Turkish Are You? A just-for-fun checklist of home habits
Çay late at night. Shoes off at the door. “Hadi kapatalım” and then another half hour. Tick everything that sounds like your home and get a fun score, a title and a breakdown across five areas: çay and food, family, customs, home and language.
This is a checklist of everyday habits, not a test of who is or is not Turkish. Families with Turkish roots, friends of Turkish families and the plain curious are all welcome. Tick none, tick all, or anything in between.
Which of these sound like your home?
35 small, everyday habits in five parts. Tick the ones that are true for you. Nothing is wrong, and nobody is checking.
Your ticks are not saved or sent anywhere.
Tick everything that is true for you.
Result
Just for fun: a checklist of habits, not a measure of anyone’s identity. You are welcome here either way.
How the checklist works
It is not a trivia quiz. It is a list of small, true-to-life things about home and family: the çay at 11 pm, the slippers for guests, the “hadi kapatalım” that never ends the call, the little blue bead in the car, the “sana da” you say without thinking. You tick the ones that are yours. The result is the share of the 35 habits you ticked, a title, and a bar for each of the five areas.
It was written with families who live far from Türkiye in mind, where home habits are often the most Turkish part of daily life. But the habits belong to everyone who shares them, so anyone can play.
The five areas
🍵 Çay and food
Türkiye is often named among the countries that drink the most tea per person. Most of it is black tea brewed in a two-tier teapot (çaydanlık) and served in small tulip-shaped glasses (ince belli). Offering tea is basic hospitality, at home and in shops. Food is the other language: a long weekend breakfast (serpme kahvaltı) with cheeses, olives, eggs, honey and plenty of bread, and simit, the sesame ring sold on street corners. Çekirdek (roasted sunflower seeds) are cracked through whole movies.
👵 Family
Turkish has precise words for relatives: teyze is a mother’s sister and hala a father’s sister, dayı is a mother’s brother and amca a father’s brother. Many people also say “teyze” and “amca” to older friends of the family. On holidays (bayram) children often kiss an elder’s hand and touch it to the forehead as a sign of respect. Hospitality is generous: guests often leave with food for the road.
🧿 Customs and good wishes
Nazar is the idea of the evil eye. Many people say maşallah to admire something and nazar değmesin to wish it well, and hang a blue glass bead (nazar boncuğu). Some families pour a little water behind someone leaving on a trip as a wish for a smooth journey, put a knife or a pair of scissors down instead of handing it over, or offer lemon cologne (kolonya) to guests. We describe these as customs and traditions: some people take them seriously, others just enjoy them.
🏠 Home
Shoes come off at the door, and guests are usually offered slippers (terlik). Many homes keep a “good room” (misafir odası) for guests, a tablecloth with a cover on top, and a freezer full of something a relative made. A çaydanlık is rarely far from the stove.
💬 Language
Many people who grow up with Turkish abroad understand much more than they say. The tells are in the little words: yani (so, I mean) slipped into other languages, vay be for a nice surprise, and afiyet olsun followed by sana da as a reflex. Our Emoji Proverbs game is a fun next step.
The five result titles
Welcome! You are new to this table, and there is plenty of room. Pull up a chair, the çay is already poured.
A few of these habits are yours, and others come from elsewhere. Many people live between two or more cultures, and that is a strength.
Shoes off, çay on, a plate always ready for a visitor. These habits clearly live at your place.
Seconds offered, slippers ready, kolonya in hand. Your home is exactly where people want to visit.
You tick almost every box. Maşallah! Somebody should write down your recipes.
Show your roots
Designs for families who grow up between languages, with the Roots & Talks characters.
More free Turkish culture games
No app and no sign-up. Pick another one.
Questions people ask
How does the checklist work?
You see 35 everyday habits in five parts and tick the ones that are true for you. The result is the share you ticked, a friendly title and a bar for each part. It takes about two minutes.
Is this a real test of how Turkish someone is?
No. It is a just-for-fun checklist of everyday habits. Being Turkish, or feeling connected to Turkish culture, is not something a percentage can measure. Families with Turkish roots, friends of Turkish families and curious people are all welcome.
Why do many Turkish homes take shoes off at the door?
Many people say it keeps the floors clean, and in many homes the floor is a place to sit and play. Guests are usually offered a pair of slippers (terlik).
Why is tea such a big part of Turkish life?
Tea (çay) is served through the day, at home, in shops and in meetings, usually in small tulip-shaped glasses from a two-tier teapot called a çaydanlık. Türkiye is often named among the countries that drink the most tea per person. Offering a glass is basic hospitality.
What does nazar mean?
Nazar is the evil eye, the old idea that an envious or very admiring look can bring bad luck. People say “maşallah” to admire something and “nazar değmesin” as a kind wish, and many hang a blue glass bead. We treat it as a custom, not a promise of protection.
Can I share my result?
Yes. Tap Share, Copy result or WhatsApp. These only open your own apps when you tap them. Your ticks are not saved or sent anywhere.
Are there more Turkish culture games?
Yes. See the games below and the full list on the Games page.