Language/Turkish/Vocabulary/Greeting

Turkish Vocabulary → Everyday Phrases → Greeting

Greetings are essential in any culture around the world, and Turkey is no exception. As a Turkish language teacher with 20 years of experience, I can tell you that mastering these basic phrases will go a long way in making you feel confident in any social situation in Turkey. In this lesson, we will cover the most common Turkish greetings and other everyday phrases that will help you communicate more effectively with locals.

Greetings

Turkish culture values warmth and friendliness, so it's essential to greet people you encounter politely. Here are some basic Turkish greetings:

Merhaba

Merhaba is the basic Turkish greeting. It's similar to saying "hello" in English and can be used in both formal and informal settings. Its pronunciation is [mɛrhaba].

Selam

Selam is a casual way of saying hello in Turkish. It's mainly used between friends and people from the same generation. Its pronunciation is [sɛlam].

İyi Günler

İyi günler means "good day" and is a formal greeting that you can use throughout the day. Its pronunciation is [ijɪ ɡy̆nleɾ].

İyi Akşamlar

İyi akşamlar means "good evening" and is an appropriate greeting to use after sunset. Its pronunciation is [ijɪ akʃamlar].

İyi Geceler

İyi geceler means "good night" and is used when saying goodbye at night or before going to bed. Its pronunciation is [ijɪ ɡedʒɛlɛɾ].

In Turkey, people usually greet each other by shaking hands or a kiss on both cheeks, especially in more formal settings. It's customary to shake hands with older people first. However, amongst people of the same age and gender, hugs and friendly punches on the shoulder or chest are also quite common.

Other Everyday Phrases

Besides greeting people, there are other essential everyday phrases that you'll need to know to get by in Turkey:

Nasılsın?

Nasılsın? means "how are you?" in Turkish. Its pronunciation is [naː'sɯl.sɯn]. This is a standard way of asking someone about their well-being, and asking a friend or acquaintance how they're doing is an excellent conversation starter in Turkey.

İyi, teşekkür ederim; ya sen?

After someone asks you "nasılsın?", you can answer with "İyi, teşekkür ederim; ya sen?" meaning "I'm good, thank you, and you?". Its pronunciation is [ijɪ tɛʃɛkkyr ɛdɛɾim ja sɛn]. This is a polite and standard answer that will work in most situations.

Lütfen

Lütfen means "please" in Turkish. Its pronunciation is [l̴yt̴'fɛn]. Remember to use it when asking for something or when trying to be polite.

Teşekkür ederim

Teşekkür ederim means "thank you" in Turkish. Its pronunciation is [tɛʃɛkkyɾ edɛɾim]. You'll hear this word a lot in Turkey, so don't forget to use it to express your gratitude!

Bira, lütfen

Finally, here's a phrase you can use when ordering a beer in Turkey: "Bira, lütfen." This means "a beer, please" and its pronunciation is [biɾa l̴yt̴'fɛn].

Table 1 below shows the basic Turkish greetings and some of their variations:

Turkish	Pronunciation	English
Merhaba	[mɛrhaba]	Hello
Selam	[sɛlam]	Hi
İyi Günler	[ijɪ ɡy̆nleɾ]	Good day
İyi Akşamlar	[ijɪ akʃamlar]	Good evening
İyi Geceler	[ijɪ ɡedʒɛlɛɾ]	Good night

Practice Makes Perfect

Learning new phrases is crucial, but using them actively in real-life situations is equally important. I recommend that you try to practice these greetings and phrases with Turkish locals whenever possible. They will be happy to hear that you're trying to learn and communicate in their language, so don't be shy and give it a try.

Sources

• Turkish Language
• Turkey

Table of Contents - Turkish Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Turkish Alphabet

• Vowels and Consonants
• Pronunciation

  ---

Basic Grammar

• Nouns
• Verbs
• Adjectives
• Pronouns

  ---

Complex Grammar

• Cases
• Participles
• Conditional Sentences

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Everyday Phrases

• Greeting
• Asking for Directions
• Food and Drink
• Shopping

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Numbers and Time

• Cardinal Numbers
• Ordinal Numbers
• Time

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Turkish Culture

• History and Geography
• Traditions and Customs
• Cuisine
• Arts and Festivals

  ---

Daily Life

• Housing
• Family and Relationships
• Religion
• Transportation and Travel

Related Lessons

• How to say Good Bye?
• Seasons
• Valentines Day
• Vegetables
• Drinks
• Body
• Free Time Activities
• Months of the Year
• Asking for Directions
• Society