Dating in Turkey

Turkey itself is located right among Europe and Asia. The influence of such entirely different cultures is reflected in the traditions of Turkey itself. European modernity meets middle-eastern conservatism in all spheres of local life. If you are a simple tourist, you’ll only enjoy all the benefits which turkish people want to show you. But if you are looking for a chance to merge into the local culture and experience the true turkish lifestyle, you might be confused at first.

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Let’s dig into the mysterious dating scene in Turkey and learn more about turkish singles dating.

Turkish dating traditions: the main things to remember

Dating in Turkey requires special attention, and if you have never learnt anything about local traditions, it can surprise you with multiple things. Here are a few things about turkish dating etiquette.

Dating culture depends on the region

And even more so, on the size of the place. Bigger cities like Istanbul or tourist resort cities are much more relaxed in terms of dating and relationships. Constant contact with european culture made people in big cities adopt the attitude as well, so dating is no longer a big deal. People enjoy seeing each other for a cup of coffee just like in any other country. Men court their girlfriends while the ladies allow a little flirtatious behaviour.

But the more you go rural, the stricter dating traditions become. In fact, in distant towns and villages in Turkey dating is never a thing and relationships can only lead to marriage. Moreover, arranged marriages are still a thing in 20th century Turkey. That means that parents choose a partner for their child and leave no choice rather than to get married. For a western person this is unbelievable, but for people from smaller turkish towns this is just their regular way of life.

The more you go rural, the stricter dating traditions become.

Turkish people are jealous

This especially regards turkish men, but local ladies can be extremely jealous too. Of course, you are meant to be the one for your partner, so if you agree to date a person from Turkey, you should be exclusive with each other. Even if you used to have friends of the opposite sex before you got into relationships, you probably won’t be able to meet as easily as before. Sometimes even if you are just being friendly to your co-worker your partner can be displeased.

Being jealous is just another form of showing affection which turkish men and women use. Such strong emotions are just indicators of the fact that you love your partner, so turkish people even think it is suspicious if you never show any jealousy.

a beautiful oriental woman smiling

Courtesy should be romantic

Middle eastern traditions in general imply beautiful signs of attention. This is why many european women get so easily attracted to turkish men - it’s because of how involved they are into relationships. Women in Turkey expect the same treatment as well, so if you are a guy trying to win over a girls heart don’t think it will be easy. You have to be fully involved into the process and be as loyal to your partner as possible.

Dating around is not approved

Even though bigger cities are much more loyal to dating, people in Turkey are still not as open-minded. Men definitely have more freedom in terms of romantic interactions while women are surrounded by dozens of prejudices. There is no possibility for a girl to allow physical engagement as sex before marriage is severely judged in Turkey.

Turkish dating approves of those who want to get a family. Serious intentions in terms of relationships are praised which is why marriages can happen so quickly after getting acquainted.

Family approval matters

Family bonds are extremely strong regardless of the part of Turkey, so when two people start dating, the stage of meeting the parents comes soon (if the marriage wasn’t arranged by them at all). Both men and women have to present their best selves to the family of their partner, because otherwise they both will be pressured. Women are judged as potential mothers and housewives, so they have to be pure, loyal and know how to keep the house. Men are the breadwinners in turkish families, which means they have to be able to provide their wives with stable income. And even though the tourist industry is extremely well-developed in Turkey, working in this sphere is not considered a good job, so many grooms were turned away because of having a position in this business.

a portrait of a young muslim man smiling

The way turkish guys compliment women can melt the heart of even the most tempted lady.

Important things to know while dating a turkish man

Turkish men are considered the hottest and the sweetest guys in the world. If you are a woman who wants to date one of them, here are the things you need to know while being in a relationship with a turkish guy:

  • They do court women beautifully. Flower bouquets, expensive restaurants, romantic dates - you will easily get all of these things while dating a turkish man. But their charm is also reflected in the words they use. The way turkish guys compliment women can melt the heart of even the most tempted lady. And you can be sure things won’t change after you both have wedding rings on your fingers. Although everything depends on a person, the majority of turkish men are really loving and caring when it comes to their wives;
  • They are a bit patriarchal. Turkish men see it from the very early childhood that everyone in the family has their own place. Men work hard to provide their family with everything while local ladies look after the home and children as well as try to present themselves from the most beautiful perspective. A beautiful wife, several children, a clean home and a table full of local dishes - this is how turkish men see their perfect life. Don’t think there are only rich men among turkish people - even a regular office clerk would work hard to give his family everything.;
  • They are persistent. If a turkish man starts dating a girl he likes, he will do everything possible to win her heart. He’ll repeat the proposals even after being denied and wait patiently until a woman finally notices his efforts. Of course, if a girl doesn’t appreciate it at all, turkish men give up and grieve about the broken heart for a bit. But this is only until they meet another girl worthy of their attention;
  • They are loyal. Even though you might think that turkish guys are too frivolous, they actually treat their significant others really seriously. Once you get married, no other women exist for your husband and you get all the love and attention possible. This is why they can be jealous: once you give all your heart to another person, you expect to have the same treatment in response;
  • They propose fast. Turkish guys can’t wait to put a wedding ring on their girlfriends’ finger, so relationships here develop very fast. While western people might just call the affair official after six month together pass, turkish guys start arranging a wedding just a few months after you started dating.

a handsome bearded man with thick curly hair is posing in a blue shirt

Important things to know while dating a turkish woman

Turkish women are more than just beautiful ladies, they have their own character and expect certain treatment as well. If you are a man dating a turkish girl, here is what you should know:

  • Appearance really matters. Turkish women want to always be beautiful. Of course, local beauty standards influenced this point of view, but the result is just gorgeous - women in Turkey are true princesses. Most of the time they do wear makeup, but if you are worried that underneath cosmetics there is a completely different human, you don’t have to. Turkish women enjoy cosmetic procedures and buy skincare products, so that they could be naturally beautiful as well;
  • They are good at keeping the house. Turkish women are brought up with the idea of becoming a housewife later on, so they are used to cooking, cleaning the house and generally keeping the household. There is even a tradition in Turkey to test the girl by asking her to cook a coffee. And if you love to eat, they will be able to surprise you with variable and delicious turkish cuisine. And not only these dishes will be tasty because of the ingredients, but because of the love of your wife as well;
  • They are very confident. Turkish women know what they want, even though it might seem like the upbringing they have implies a different worldview. They know that men can do a lot to get their attention, so they won’t let their standards down even if you fall in love. You should also remember that turkish ladies usually have a good education. That means they can support an intellectual discussion and also judge a potential partner based on the ability to talk on various topics. But don’t be afraid of such high demands, if you manage to win a heart of a turkish woman, your hard work will pay off;
  • They are reliable and caring. No one will care more about you than your turkish wife. She will comfort you in any life situation and wait patiently to greet you from work in the evening. She will talk to you about your issues and you will try to find a way of resolving them. Speaking from the perspective of mutual wellbeing, there are no better wives than turkish women. But be ready to respond with the same emotional treatment. Don’t think that if you provide your woman with money, this will be enough. As said before, turkish men don’t stop courting their women after they get married, so even if you are an expat dating a turkish girl, keep that in mind.

a portrait of a young oriental woman taken outdoors

Marriage traditions in Turkey

Turkish dating has the only goal - finally getting married. And marriage has its own rituals and traditions.

Bigger cities took the example of western countries and weddings here look exactly like you expect.

Everything starts with an engagement ceremony, which is no less important than the official wedding itself. It includes multiple guests who visit a bride’s house together with a bridegroom. Of course, such a big event includes food, so all the guests have lunch together. During the engagement ceremony, the newlyweds exchange wedding rings, but in some regions, where a bridegroom doesn’t come to engagement ceremonies, a ring is given to his mother or sister. Invitations to the actual wedding are also distributed during the engagement ceremony.

Speaking of the weddings, they are very different in different parts of Turkey. Again, bigger cities took the example of western countries and weddings here look exactly like you expect. But if people decide to have a traditional wedding, it won’t be limited to a single single day. The ceremonies traditionally start on Tuesday and last three days, but many people choose to start a wedding on Friday to last till the end of the week. The ceremony includes a lot of guests. It is not just the relatives, but also the neighbours. If the fiancees live in a small village, the whole of its inhabitants may be present as well.

There is also a traditional turkish version of a bachelorette party called Kina Geseci. It is usually held on the night before the wedding and all the women who are close to the bride or the groom are present. The name of the event translates as Henna Night and this title was given for a reason - this night all the women use henna to paint traditional symbols on their hands and feet. Initially the tradition appeared to celebrate and embrace the sadness of a daughter leaving parental house.

The next morning fetching the bride happens. It is basically the process of preparing the bride for the wedding, but it includes a special ceremony as well. First, all guests come to fetch the bride. It is usually a ceremonial procession and all guests walk by foot, if possible. But, of course, if the bride leaves too far, driving a car is acceptable. Then the bride is dressed up and prepared. Traditionally, it is done by the oldest woman in the family, but there nowadays a stylist from a beauty salon is also acceptable. When everything is ready, the procession takes the bride with them and they follow to the house of the groom. This is when the official wedding starts.

an oriental muslim woman posing outdoors close to an old building

Online dating in Turkey

Even though in some aspects of dating the country is rather conservative, online dating here is still rather popular. Of course, it is especially widespread among younger people, but you can definitely come across older generations on the dating websites as well, though most of them use the best senior chat rooms. But when it comes to the youth, there are very few boys and girls who have never been registered on turkish dating sites.

Many turkish men admit that they enjoy dating girls from outside their country, and meeting a foreign lady has never been simpler than when online dating became a thing.

Turkish people just generally like to chat and communicate and a dialogue can spring out of a simple everyday thing like buying groceries. But turkish dating websites are made specifically for communication, and this is what people especially love. Many turkish men admit that they enjoy dating girls from outside their country, and meeting a foreign lady has never been simpler than when online dating became a thing.

Younger turkish people are also quite busy because of work or education. There is not much time to go outside and meet a potential partner in this case. But using online dating platforms, young turkish singles can enjoy dating as well.

Dating turkish singles at Dating.com

There are plenty of popular turkish dating websites on the internet, but if you are looking for a trustworthy platform with good reputation, Dating.com is the perfect choice, and here are some reasons why:

  • It has proven to be successful. The website exists for more than 20 years and over this time thousands of couples have been created via the system. Many of them are now happy in marriage, but they could have never met if it wasn’t for Dating.com;
  • It is simple to use. There are only a few steps you need to take if you want to start dating. First, you need to register an account or log in using any other social media you have. Then, fill in the profile with the information which might be interesting for your potential dates. Finally, you can start the search which includes any criteria you think are important. Those are all simple actions which anyone regardless of their background can perform;
  • It is safe. Many people who are new to the dating websites are afraid of fraudsters. And while such concerns are quite natural, there is no need to be worried about it with Dating.com. All personal information remains confidential and safety guidelines were developed and now suggested to the newcoming users. Just make sure you don’t overshare, and there will be nothing to worry about.

Dating.com can provide you with the best experience of online dating turkish singles so don’t hesitate a moment, complete the registration and begin the journey to happy relationships.

an oriental couple enjoying their coffee together while hugging

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