All about - buyurun - Please be so kind

buyurun - or the more formal - buyurunuz - is a widely used word in Turkish. There are many translations in English according to context. It is the second person Singular or Plural of the Simple Present tense of the verb - buyurmak - which basically means: Would you be so kind as to.. - [Literally: Would you deign to, to command, to decree, to make an order]

All or any of these meanings can be applied according to context - and in fact this word has become a sort of universal polite request, pleasant command, and is in constant daily use in all areas of Turkish life. A sort of catch-all word for most situations. It is a very important word to learn.

Let us consider how it is used:

• When calling on someone's house and they say - buyurun it means - Please come in
• When they point to a chair - buyurun - Please sit down
• When they serve tea - buyurun - Please drink and enjoy
• On entering a shop the shopkeeper may say - buyurun efendim - meaning - Can I help you, sir?
• In a restaurant or cafe when the waiter or bar man says - buyurun -it means - What would you like?
• In many busy places markets, souvenir shops, cafes etc. there is often a professional barker who will be saying to all passers by - buyurun - Come and buy
• If in a cafe you ask to see what food is being prepared in the kitchen (normal in Turkey) then the answer would be - buyurun - meaning in this case - Of course you may!
• When answering the telephone you say - buyurun meaning - I'm listening to your call -
• Turkish speakers also say - efendim - on answering telephone phone to say - Hello- in a polite manner.
• When passing people in narrow places or entering lifts etc. - buyurun - means - After you!

You can see there are many cases where - buyurun - is used and there are probably many more, you will hear it all the time when in Turkey.

Beş lira, beş lira, buyurun!

Buyurun - by the way, is pretty much the world's most useful word. It can mean - Welcome, Here you go, Have a seat, Come over here - and who knows what else.