Overview
Turkish greetings and expressions are your first gateway to meaningful interaction with Turkish speakers. Even before you learn grammar or build vocabulary, knowing how to say hello, thank you, and goodbye will open doors and earn you warmth and respect. Turkish culture places great value on proper greetings, and using the right expression at the right time makes a strong positive impression.
At the A1 level, these fixed expressions are essential survival phrases. Many of them have traditional response pairs — a greeting is met with a specific reply, and knowing both parts of the exchange is important. Some greetings, like hoş geldiniz / hoş bulduk, are uniquely Turkish and reflect deep cultural values of hospitality.
The good news is that most of these expressions are fixed phrases that you can learn as complete units without needing to understand their grammar. Just memorize them, practice the pronunciation, and use them confidently.
How It Works
Basic Greetings
| Turkish |
English |
When to Use |
| Merhaba |
Hello |
Any time, universal |
| Selam |
Hi |
Informal, among friends |
| Günaydın |
Good morning |
Morning |
| İyi günler |
Good day |
Daytime greeting/farewell |
| İyi akşamlar |
Good evening |
Evening greeting/farewell |
| İyi geceler |
Good night |
Before bed / late evening farewell |
Greeting Responses
Some greetings have specific traditional responses:
| Greeting |
Response |
Context |
| Hoş geldiniz (Welcome) |
Hoş bulduk (We found it pleasant) |
Arriving somewhere |
| Afiyet olsun (Bon appétit) |
Sağ olun / Teşekkürler |
After/during meal |
| Kolay gelsin (May it come easy) |
Sağ olun / Teşekkürler |
To someone working |
| Geçmiş olsun (May it pass) |
Sağ olun / Teşekkürler |
After illness/difficulty |
| Hayırlı olsun (May it be good) |
Teşekkürler |
After a purchase/new start |
How Are You?
| Turkish |
English |
Formality |
| Nasılsınız? |
How are you? |
Formal / to elders |
| Nasılsın? |
How are you? |
Informal / to friends |
| Ne haber? |
What's the news? |
Casual |
| Ne var ne yok? |
What's up? |
Very casual |
| İyi misiniz? |
Are you well? |
Formal, polite |
Common Responses
| Turkish |
English |
| İyiyim, teşekkürler. |
I'm fine, thank you. |
| İyiyim, sen nasılsın? |
I'm fine, how are you? |
| Fena değil. |
Not bad. |
| Çok iyiyim! |
I'm very well! |
| İdare eder. |
Getting by. (casual) |
Thank You and Please
| Turkish |
English |
Note |
| Teşekkür ederim |
Thank you |
Standard |
| Teşekkürler |
Thanks |
Slightly less formal |
| Çok teşekkür ederim |
Thank you very much |
Emphatic |
| Sağ ol(un) |
Thank you (lit: be well) |
Common, warm |
| Lütfen |
Please |
Universal |
| Rica ederim |
You're welcome |
Response to thanks |
| Bir şey değil |
It's nothing |
Response to thanks |
Goodbye
| Turkish |
English |
Who Says It |
| Hoşça kal(ın) |
Goodbye (stay well) |
Person leaving says to person staying |
| Güle güle |
Goodbye (go smiling) |
Person staying says to person leaving |
| Görüşürüz |
See you |
Universal, any direction |
| Kendine iyi bak |
Take care of yourself |
Warm, informal |
| İyi günler |
Good day |
Neutral farewell |
| İyi yolculuklar |
Have a good journey |
To someone traveling |
Apologizing
| Turkish |
English |
Formality |
| Özür dilerim |
I apologize |
Standard |
| Pardon |
Pardon/Excuse me |
Universal, mild |
| Affedersiniz |
Excuse me (formal) |
Getting attention, passing |
| Kusura bakmayın |
Don't take offense |
Apologetic, polite |
Useful Daily Expressions
| Turkish |
English |
Context |
| Evet |
Yes |
Universal |
| Hayır |
No |
Universal |
| Tamam |
Okay |
Agreement |
| Tabii / Tabii ki |
Of course |
Enthusiastic agreement |
| Belki |
Maybe |
Uncertainty |
| İnşallah |
God willing / hopefully |
Wishing for future |
| Maşallah |
How wonderful |
Praise, admiration |
| Allah korusun |
God forbid |
Warding off bad |
| Buyurun |
Here you go / Please (go ahead) |
Offering, inviting |
| Hay Allah! |
Oh no! / Oh dear! |
Mild frustration |
Congratulations and Wishes
| Turkish |
English |
Context |
| Tebrikler! |
Congratulations! |
Achievement |
| Başarılar! |
Good luck! (Success!) |
Exams, new job |
| Mutlu yıllar! |
Happy birthday! / Happy new year! |
Celebrations |
| Geçmiş olsun |
Get well soon |
Illness, accident |
| Hayırlı olsun |
May it be blessed |
New purchase, new home |
Examples in Context
| Turkish |
English |
Note |
| Merhaba, nasılsınız? |
Hello, how are you? |
Formal greeting |
| Teşekkür ederim. |
Thank you. |
Standard thanks |
| Hoş geldiniz! Hoş bulduk. |
Welcome! (reply) |
Traditional pair |
| Günaydın! İyi günler! |
Good morning! Good day! |
Morning greetings |
| Görüşürüz, iyi akşamlar. |
See you, good evening. |
Evening farewell |
| Lütfen bir çay. |
A tea, please. |
Ordering |
| Affedersiniz, tuvalet nerede? |
Excuse me, where is the bathroom? |
Asking for directions |
| Kolay gelsin! |
May your work come easily! |
To someone working |
| Afiyet olsun! |
Bon appétit! |
At meals |
| Geçmiş olsun, nasıl hissediyorsun? |
Get well soon, how do you feel? |
After illness |
Common Mistakes
Mixing Up Hoşça Kal and Güle Güle
- Wrong: Saying güle güle when you are the one leaving
- Right: The person leaving says hoşça kal(ın); the person staying says güle güle
- Why: Each farewell belongs to a specific role in the departure. In practice, many modern Turks use görüşürüz for both sides, but knowing the traditional distinction shows cultural awareness.
Forgetting the Response Pair
- Wrong: Saying nothing after someone says Hoş geldiniz
- Right: Responding with Hoş bulduk
- Why: Turkish greetings are often call-and-response pairs. Not responding can seem rude or confused. The response shows you know the cultural protocol.
Using Informal Forms with Elders
- Wrong: Nasılsın? to an older person or stranger
- Right: Nasılsınız?
- Why: The -sınız form (formal/plural you) is essential when speaking to elders, strangers, or anyone you want to show respect to. Using -sın (informal) with the wrong person is impolite.
Practice Tips
- Learn greetings as pairs: greeting + response. Practice saying both parts aloud. When you hear hoş geldiniz, your mouth should automatically form hoş bulduk.
- Use kolay gelsin whenever you see someone working — a shopkeeper, a taxi driver, a street cleaner. This uniquely Turkish expression will earn you immediate warmth and smiles, and it is a wonderful daily practice habit.
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