Invited into a Turkish home? Expect to leave your shoes at the door, perhaps to be handed a pair of slippers, and to be offered tea. These are common customs, not rules for every household.
What follows is what travel and culture guides agree on. Families differ, so take it as a starting point and follow your hosts.
At the door
Shoes usually come off at the door. Rough Guides puts it simply: always remove your shoes at the door. Matador Network describes taking them off as the custom, and Wikivoyage advises taking them off just outside or right inside the door.
Hosts may keep spare slippers for guests, and in some homes you will be offered a pair. Matador Network mentions hosts keeping a few extra pairs; the Cultural Atlas notes that in some cases you may be given slippers to wear instead of your shoes.
The Turkish word for them is terlik (tehr-LEEK). The dictionary of the Turkish Language Association (TDK) defines it as light, open-backed footwear usually worn at home.
At the table
Tea, çay (chai), is part of being a guest. Rough Guides advises you to accept tea if you can, because the point is connection rather than refreshment. Matador Network calls the offer an invitation of hospitality and friendship, and the Cultural Atlas notes that tea or coffee is offered on every occasion.
One phrase to take with you
Teşekkür ederim (teh-shek-KEWR eh-deh-REEM) means "thank you". It is in the Wikivoyage Turkish phrasebook and in TurkishClass101's survival phrases.
How we checked
We checked these customs on 20 October 2026 against Rough Guides, Matador Network, Wikivoyage and the Cultural Atlas, and the Turkish words against the TDK dictionary and the Wikivoyage phrasebook. A custom made it onto this page only if at least two independent sources describe it. The pronunciations are our own rough guide for English speakers.