Hello: merhaba and selam
Learn how to say hello in Turkish with merhaba and selam, when each one fits, how to greet a group with merhabalar, and how to pass a hello on to someone else.
Read and practiseAdventure journal
How to say it in Turkish
Find the natural Turkish phrase for one intention, such as hello, thank you or sorry, and how to answer it.
Adventure journal
How to say it in Turkish
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Günaydın: saying good morning in Turkish
Günaydın is the one word that greets anyone in the morning: how to write it, how to answer it and when to switch to iyi günler.
Read and practiseThank you: teşekkür ederim, sağ ol, rica ederim
Say thanks in Turkish at the right warmth, from teşekkürler and sağ ol to teşekkür ederim, name the reason with için, and answer when someone thanks you.
Read and practisePlease: lütfen and buyurun
Ask for tea, water or a favour in Turkish with lütfen, and see why handing someone something calls for buyurun instead.
Read and practiseSorry and excuse me: özür dilerim, pardon
Learn when to say özür dilerim, pardon and affedersiniz: a real apology, a light excuse me, and a polite way to stop a stranger, plus the answer önemli değil.
Read and practiseGoodbye: hoşça kal and güle güle
Learn the two Turkish goodbyes, hoşça kal for the one who leaves and güle güle for the one who stays, plus the polite hoşça kalın and the casual görüşürüz.
Read and practiseNasılsın? How to ask how someone is
Ask a friend nasılsın and an elder nasılsınız, then answer with iyiyim, yorgunum or kötüyüm, and see why a y appears after iyi.
Read and practiseMy name is: adım and benim adım
Turkish says 'my name is' without a verb: adım Elif. See how adım, adın and adı work, when benim joins in, and what Ben Elif'im does differently.
Read and practiseI don't understand: anlamıyorum, anlamadım
Anlamıyorum or anlamadım? Say that you do not follow, ask for a repeat, and see why the negative present becomes -mıyor and never -mayor.
Read and practiseYes and no: evet, hayır, var, yok
Is there milk? Süt var mı? Turkish answers with evet and hayır, but with var and yok when the question is about being there or having. Here is how to pick the word.
Read and practiseHow much is it? ne kadar and kaç lira
Ne kadar and kaç lira both ask a price, but only kaç needs a noun after it. Learn the two questions, the answer in lira and why lira stays singular.
Read and practiseWhere is...? Asking with nerede
Tuvalet nerede? is the whole question: a noun plus nerede, with no verb. Learn when -sin follows, why gözlük becomes gözlüğüm, and how nereye differs.
Read and practiseİyi geceler and iyi akşamlar: good night, good evening
Leaving at night or arriving in the evening? İyi geceler and iyi akşamlar split on exactly that, with the replies sana da and size de.
Read and practiseNice to meet you: memnun oldum and tanıştığımıza memnun oldum
Meeting someone new? Answer memnun oldum, add tanıştığımıza to sound warmer, reply ben de, and know why the phrase is in the past tense.
Read and practiseWelcome: hoş geldiniz and hoş bulduk
Greet a guest with hoş geldin or hoş geldiniz, name the place in the dative, as in Türkiye'ye, and answer hoş bulduk when it is you who arrives.
Read and practiseHappy birthday: doğum günün kutlu olsun
Doğum günün kutlu olsun and iyi ki doğdun both wish a happy birthday. See what the -ün on günün does, how to make it polite with -ünüz, and which wish suits whom.
Read and practiseCongratulations: tebrikler, tebrik ederim, kutlarım
Seni tebrik ederim, never sana: learn tebrikler, tebrik ederim and kutlarım, name the reason with için, and wish luck on something new with hayırlı olsun.
Read and practiseGet well soon: geçmiş olsun
Geçmiş olsun means 'may it be past'. Learn to wish someone well after illness or trouble, send the wish on to their mother, and answer with sağ ol.
Read and practiseI love you: seni seviyorum
Seni seviyorum needs seni, not sen: the person you love is the object. See how ben, sen and o change in that form, then say it yourself.
Read and practiseSpeak more slowly: daha yavaş konuşabilir misiniz?
Daha yavaş konuşabilir misiniz? Build this polite request from a verb stem, -ebil, -ir and mi, and choose between misiniz for strangers and misin for friends.
Read and practiseCan you help me? Asking with edebilir misiniz
Bana yardım edebilir misiniz? is the polite request: yardım, a form of et- with the ability ending, then mi. Learn why et- becomes ed- and why bana takes -a.
Read and practiseSee you later: görüşürüz with a time word
Yarın, pazartesi or haftaya plus görüşürüz makes a casual see-you-later with a time; learn how görüşelim differs, and the formal görüşmek üzere.
Read and practiseCheers in Turkish: şerefe and a personal toast
A raised glass calls for şerefe. Toast a friend, a group or a new job, choose sağlığına or sağlığınıza, and avoid using a toast as a thank-you.
Read and practiseEnjoy your meal: wishes and replies
The soup is served: wish everyone a good meal in Turkish, answer a server naturally, and distinguish a return wish from thanks to the cook.
Read and practiseYou're welcome in Turkish: choosing a reply to thanks
A favour is done and someone thanks you: choose a polite reply, play down the effort, or return the thanks in Turkish, with examples and practice.
Read and practiseGood luck before a test or task
Before the result is known, wish someone luck with bol şans or iyi şanslar. Add the person or occasion, then distinguish encouragement from congratulations.
Read and practiseHow to say “I miss you” in Turkish
A message after time apart can use a past-tense verb for a feeling that is still present. Say you miss someone, reply warmly and ask if they missed you.
Read and practiseLong time no see in Turkish
A familiar face after months apart: greet them in Turkish, explain the gap without blame, and add a warm “I missed you” when it fits.
Read and practiseI agree in Turkish: katılıyorum
Agreement has degrees: use katılıyorum for a shared view, haklısın to say someone is right, and kısmen to keep room for a different opinion.
Read and practiseIt doesn't matter: choosing and reassuring
Tea or coffee, or a small mishap? Distinguish having no preference from saying no harm is done, with three everyday Turkish replies and their tone.
Read and practiseWhat do you mean? Asking for clarification in Turkish
A puzzling remark needs more than repetition: ask what someone means in Turkish, soften your question, and check your interpretation with yani.
Read and practiseHow do you say it in Turkish? Asking for words and meanings
A missing word need not stop the conversation. Ask how to say something in Turkish, check an unfamiliar word’s meaning, and request a useful example.
Read and practiseGod willing: hopes and future plans
A hoped-for meeting is still uncertain. Use inşallah for future plans, place it naturally in a sentence, and distinguish a hopeful reply from a firm promise.
Read and practiseTake care: a warm Turkish farewell
A farewell can carry a wish for someone’s wellbeing. Choose the familiar or polite Turkish form, return the wish, and distinguish it from a warning.
Read and practiseMaşallah: admiration with goodwill
A flourishing garden invites a warm compliment. Use maşallah to admire what you see, distinguish it from inşallah, and recognise when praise turns into reproach.
Read and practiseHayırlı olsun: wishing well on a new home or job
A new set of keys or a new job calls for a wish for the future. Use hayırlı olsun, choose familiar or polite wording, and respond warmly in Turkish.
Read and practiseMay your work go smoothly
A neighbour is busy painting: acknowledge the effort in Turkish, wish the work well, and answer warmly without claiming the task is easy.
Read and practiseThanking the cook: appreciate the effort
A handmade meal deserves a personal thank-you. Address the cook warmly or politely in Turkish, praise a dish and pass your thanks through a server.
Read and practiseOffering condolences in Turkish: başınız sağ olsun
A death calls for a condolence, not a recovery wish. Choose başın or başınız sağ olsun, write a brief message, and keep sağ olsun as two words.
Read and practiseBless you in Turkish: çok yaşa and the reply
A sneeze starts a small exchange of good wishes. Choose çok yaşa or çok yaşayın, return the wish naturally, and distinguish sıhhatler olsun.
Read and practiseBu arada: adding a conversational aside
A sudden thought can open a new topic. Use bu arada for a conversational aside, distinguish it from “meanwhile”, and ask before interrupting.
Read and practiseTo be honest: açıkçası and dürüst olmak gerekirse
A candid opinion needs more than a polite opening. Use açıkçası and dürüst olmak gerekirse to admit uncertainty, state a preference or disagree with a reason.
Read and practiseI can't believe it: inanamıyorum and surprised disbelief
An astonishing result calls for inanamıyorum. Express delight or dismay in Turkish, distinguish disbelief from rejection, and judge the tone of yok artık.
Read and practiseLet me think: keeping your turn in Turkish
A pause before an answer can be useful: use bir düşüneyim to think, distinguish it from bakalım, and say when you will reply if you need longer.
Read and practiseThanks for having me: thanking a host in Turkish
After a visit, thank your host for welcoming you. Choose familiar or polite Turkish, distinguish hosting from inviting, and keep the host and guest clear.
Read and practiseLooking forward to it in Turkish
Anticipation can sound warm or impatient. Express what you look forward to in Turkish, connect an action to the phrase, and avoid mixing two sentence patterns.
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