The Turkish thank you!

The Turkish thank you!

• Teşekkür ederim
  Thank you this is used in all normal situations.


• The reply is:
  Bir şey değil
  It is nothing


• OR Rica ederim
  You are welcome
  [same as "bitte schön" in German]

A simple teşekkürler thanks is used in shops and for small duties performed.

The more sincere sağ olun stay healthy.

• sağol [familiar] OR sağolun [polite]
[Lit: Health to you.] equates to thank you


• It is more sincere than Teşekkür ederim.


• sen de sağ ol is the response for sağ ol


• siz de sağ olun is the reponse to sağ olun.

What are the services being rendered to us?

• Use sağ olun be healthy, be strong is used as thank you for a service which:


• (A) Did necessarily needed to be performed.


• (B) For someone who has gone out of his way to help you.


• Many tourists use sağ olun wrongly instead of using teşekkür ederim.
  They copy the boy waiter's way of thanking:
  Waiters often use sağ olun for misguided effect.


• The rule is: If in doubt use: teşekkür ederim.

Turkish "thank you" Scenarios.

• The waiter puts a nice meal in front of you.


• Your thank you is teşekkür ederim
  [It is his job.]


• The waiter puts a bottle of wine in front of you.


• Your thank you is teşekkür ederim
  [It is his job.]


• The waiter uncorks the bottle of wine and pours it in your glass.


• Your thank you is sağ olun
  [he need not have performed this service.]


• You ask someone the time.
  He looks at his watch and says "Half past three"


• Your answer is sağ olun
  [You have caused him to perform a service to you.]


• You drop your handkerchief.
  A stranger picks it up and hands it to you.


• Your answer is sağ olun
  [He need not have done it.]

Turkish answer to "thank you"

• Another polite answer is: ne demek? what does it mean?


• This expression ne demek? sounds quite comical in English.


• But it really means: It doesn't matter at all.


• The answer: Rica ederim is the politest one.


• The recipient of your gratitude will often answer with the rejoinder sen de sağol health to you too.

Turkish Daily Talk

• Günaydın Good morning


• İyi akşamlar Good evening


• İyi geceler Good night


• In English the expressions Good evening and Good night are singular.
  In Turkish they are plural [as is the Spanish: "Buenos Dias"]

Turkish Be happy!

Gözün aydın! "May your eyes shine!

• When something which the speaker longing for comes true:


• You compliment him thus:
  Gözün aydın! May your eyes shine! [fam. / sing.]OR Gözünüz aydın [polite / plu.]
  [LIT: "May your eyes shine."]


• Their response is: Gözün(üz) aydın Your eyes shine


• The expression indicates that the others share the speaker's happiness.


• The reply for Gözünüz aydın is Teşekkür ederim

Hayırlı olsun Let it be with goodness

• The expression indicates the speaker's wish that the new business will bring him prosperity, and it will be profitable.


• Used when someone opens a shop or starts a new business, others say Hayırlı olsun to him.


• The reply for Hayırlı olsun is Teşekkür ederim


• When someone buys a thing, such as a new clothes, shoes or a car his friends say:
  Güle güle kullan / kullanın Use it with a smile.


• This indicates the speaker's wish that use it with joy.


• Sometimes Hayırlı olsun is said in such condition.


• The reply for both expressions is Teşekkür ederim.

A caveat "take care..."

Turkish Hello

• Merhaba Hello!, Hi!


• The reply for Merhaba is Merhaba


• Selam Hello!, Hi!


• Selam is more informal than Merhaba


• Merhaba is not used for Hello! on the telephone:


• The telephone answer is: Alo


• Informal greetings are: Ne var? Ne yok? What is there or not?


• Answered by : "İyilik! Goodness!, Wellness!


• Hayrola! What is up then!


• Selamünaleyküm: → May God's peace be upon you


• Used by Muslim males as a greeting to strangers in the street or tea -house:


• Aleykümselam is the response to Selamünaleyküm.


• Hoş geldin [fam. /sing.] Hoş geldiniz [polite / plu.] Welcome!.


• The reply is: Hoş bulduk We found it well.

Turkish Goodbye.

• Allahaısmarladık Goodbye


• Hoşça kal(ın) Stay well.


• The person is leaving says:
  Allahaısmarladık [fam.]
[LIT: I leave you to God's care.]


• OR Hoşca kalın. [formal]


• The person staying behind, says:
  Güle güle Goodbye
  [lit: Smiling, smiling.]


• Güle güle → Go well. 
  In formal situations Hoşca kalın is better for "Goodbye!"

Turkish Daily Greetings

• İyi günler! Good day!


• The reply is:İyi günler OR Size de To you also.


• Görüşürüz See you later. [Lit: We will see each other.]


• The reply is echoed: Görüşürüz.


• Allah rahatlık versin [Lit: May God give you peace and comfort.]


• This is generally used by the members of the family at home or friends before going to bed.


• The reply Sana da! And to you also.

Turkish Have a good jouney!

• İyi yolculuklar. Have a good journey.


• Hayırlı yolculuklar Have a nice journey.


• İyi tatiller Have a nice holiday


• İyi şanslar Good Luck


• İyi eğlenceler Have a nice time


• Mutlu seneler. Happy new year


• İyi yıllar. Happy new year


• Doğum günün kutlu olsun! Happy birthday!


• Yaş günün kutlu olsun! Happy birthday!


• Afiyet olsun Bon appetite!

Turkish Well done! and Take it easy!

• Kolay gelsin May it come easy.


• The reply: Teşekkür ederim


• Used when the speaker sees someone working, busy with something.


• It can be a physical, or mental work.


• It indicates the speaker's wish that whatever that person is doing at the moment, may be easy for him.


• Aferin
  Bravo, Well done!


• Very often used in competition and especially to congratulate young children.

Turkish Sorry about it!

• Affedersin(iz) Excuse me./Pardon me.


• Affedersin(iz)! Merkeze nasıl gidebilirim? Excuse me! How can I get to the city centre?


• Özür dilerim I am sorry, I apologize


• Sometimes Affedersin(iz) is used instead of Özür dilerim


• Özür dilerim sounds better in formal situations.

Ways of saying "Yes" in Turkish

• Evet Yes → answering "yes / no" questions..


• Tamam Yes → O.K


• Peki Yes → All right, O.K, If that's so then. [Gentle use especially by females.]


• Oldu Yes → That's good, agreed.


• Evet, efendim Yes, sir or madam.


• Var Yes there is.


• Answers questions which contain: var mı.? Is there.?

Ways of saying "No" in Turkish

• Hayır No → answering "yes / no" questions.


• Olmaz No → "That's not possible, I don't agree with you, That won't do."


• Yok, Yo No.
  [informal and gentle way of refusal.]
  Answers questions containing: Yok mu? Isn't there?


• Hayır efendim No sir. / No madam.
  ["Efendim" must be used in this case else this answer could be construed as being curt.]

Turkish Words of Condolence What a pity!

• Geçmiş olsun May it pass away


• This expression is used when a friend is ill or has had an accident: → Get well soon.


• The reply: Teşekkür ederim


• Başın(ız) Health to your head.


• This equates to My condolences to you, So sorry about it.


• The reply Siz de sağ olun! Dostlar sağolsun And to you! Thanks pal!


• Ne yazık!
  What a pity!


• Çok yazık!
  Such a pity!


• Çok üzüldüm.
  I'm sorry to hear that.