Turkish Greetings and Courtesy Phrases Flashcards
Turkish social life runs on set phrases. Beyond merhaba and teşekkürler there is a phrase for someone who is working (kolay gelsin), someone who is eating (afiyet olsun), someone who is ill (geçmiş olsun) and the cook who made your meal (elinize sağlık). Using them at the right moment wins more goodwill than perfect grammar.
Many greetings come in pairs, so this deck teaches the reply alongside the phrase: hoş geldiniz is answered with hoş bulduk, and güle güle is what the person staying says to the one leaving. The notes explain who says what, and when to switch between the informal sen form and the polite siz form.
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All 38 cards in this deck
| # | Turkish | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MerhabaMerhaba, nasılsınız? | HelloHello, how are you?Neutral; fine with anyone. |
| 2 | SelamSelam, ne haber? | HiHi, what's up?Casual; for friends. |
| 3 | GünaydınGünaydın, iyi uyudun mu? | Good morningGood morning, did you sleep well? |
| 4 | İyi günlerTeşekkürler, iyi günler! | Good day / Have a nice dayThanks, have a nice day!Used both as a greeting and when leaving during the day. |
| 5 | İyi akşamlarİyi akşamlar, bir masa lütfen. | Good eveningGood evening, a table please. |
| 6 | İyi gecelerİyi geceler, yarın görüşürüz. | Good nightGood night, see you tomorrow.Only when parting at night, not as a greeting. |
| 7 | Nasılsınız?Merhaba Ayşe Hanım, nasılsınız? | How are you? (polite / plural)Hello Mrs Ayşe, how are you? |
| 8 | Nasılsın?Selam Can, nasılsın? | How are you? (informal)Hi Can, how are you? |
| 9 | İyiyim, teşekkürler.İyiyim, teşekkürler. Sen nasılsın? | I'm fine, thanks.I'm fine, thanks. How about you? |
| 10 | Ne haber?Ne haber, her şey yolunda mı? | What's up? / What's new?What's up, is everything OK?Informal. Typical answer: İyilik, senden? (Fine, you?) |
| 11 | Hoş geldinizHoş geldiniz, buyurun içeri. | WelcomeWelcome, please come in.Informal: hoş geldin. The reply is always hoş bulduk. |
| 12 | Hoş bulduk– Hoş geldin! – Hoş bulduk! | Glad to be here (reply to 'welcome')– Welcome! – Glad to be here! |
| 13 | Teşekkür ederimYardımınız için teşekkür ederim. | Thank youThank you for your help. |
| 14 | TeşekkürlerÇok teşekkürler! | ThanksThanks a lot! |
| 15 | Sağ olSağ ol, çok naziksin. | Thanks (informal)Thanks, you're very kind.Polite / plural: sağ olun. |
| 16 | Rica ederim– Teşekkürler! – Rica ederim. | You're welcome– Thanks! – You're welcome. |
| 17 | Bir şey değil– Çok sağ ol! – Bir şey değil. | It's nothing / Don't mention it– Thanks so much! – Don't mention it. |
| 18 | LütfenBir çay, lütfen. | PleaseA tea, please. |
| 19 | BuyurunBuyurun, ne arzu edersiniz? | Here you are / Go ahead / Can I help you?Can I help you? What would you like?Offering something, inviting someone in, or answering the phone. |
| 20 | Özür dilerimGeç kaldım, özür dilerim. | I'm sorry / I apologiseI'm late, I'm sorry. |
| 21 | PardonPardon, geçebilir miyim? | Sorry / Excuse meExcuse me, can I get past? |
| 22 | AffedersinizAffedersiniz, metro nerede? | Excuse me (to get attention)Excuse me, where is the metro? |
| 23 | Memnun oldumTanıştığımıza memnun oldum. | Nice to meet youPleased to meet you. |
| 24 | Ben de memnun oldum– Memnun oldum. – Ben de memnun oldum. | Nice to meet you too– Nice to meet you. – Nice to meet you too. |
| 25 | Adınız ne?Pardon, adınız ne? | What's your name? (polite)Sorry, what's your name?Informal: Adın ne? |
| 26 | Benim adım …Benim adım Deniz. | My name is …My name is Deniz. |
| 27 | GörüşürüzYarın görüşürüz! | See youSee you tomorrow! |
| 28 | Hoşça kalHoşça kal, kendine iyi bak. | Goodbye (said by the person leaving)Goodbye, take care.Polite / plural: hoşça kalın. |
| 29 | Güle güle– Hoşça kalın! – Güle güle! | Goodbye (said to the person leaving)– Goodbye! – Bye, take care! |
| 30 | Kendine iyi bakGörüşürüz, kendine iyi bak! | Take care of yourselfSee you, take care! |
| 31 | Kolay gelsinKolay gelsin, ekmek kaldı mı? | May it be easy (to someone working)Hello there, is there any bread left?Reply: sağ olun / teşekkürler. |
| 32 | Afiyet olsunYemekler geldi, afiyet olsun! | Enjoy your mealThe food is here, enjoy your meal! |
| 33 | Elinize sağlıkÇok lezzetliydi, elinize sağlık! | Thanks for the lovely food (to the cook)It was delicious, thank you for cooking!Literally 'health to your hands'. Reply: afiyet olsun. |
| 34 | Geçmiş olsunHastaymışsın, geçmiş olsun. | Get well soon / Sorry to hear thatI heard you're ill, get well soon.Also said after any bad luck: a lost wallet, a broken phone. |
| 35 | TebriklerYeni işin için tebrikler! | CongratulationsCongratulations on your new job! |
| 36 | İyi yolculuklarİyi yolculuklar, varınca haber ver. | Have a good tripHave a good trip, let me know when you arrive. |
| 37 | Başınız sağ olsunBabanızı kaybetmişsiniz, başınız sağ olsun. | My condolencesI heard you lost your father, my condolences. |
| 38 | TamamTamam, anlaştık. | OKOK, it's a deal. |
Grammar behind these words
Prefer paper? Our printable Turkish cheat sheets summarise the grammar on one page each.
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Greetings & Courtesy flashcards: FAQ
What is the difference between merhaba and selam?
Merhaba is a neutral 'hello' you can use with anyone, including shop staff and strangers. Selam is more casual, like 'hi', and is best kept for friends, colleagues you know well and people your own age.
When do Turkish people say kolay gelsin?
Kolay gelsin ('may it come easy') is said to anyone who is working: a shopkeeper, a cleaner, a colleague at their desk, or a friend carrying boxes. The usual reply is sağ olun or teşekkürler.
How do I study the Greetings & Courtesy flashcards?
Press the card (or Space) to see the answer, then choose Know or Again. Known cards move up through five Leitner boxes and come back after 1, 3, 7 and 21 days; missed cards return to box 1 and reappear a few cards later. Your progress is saved in this browser, and you can switch between TR → EN and EN → TR at any time.
Can I use the Greetings & Courtesy deck in Anki?
Yes. Use "Download for Anki" to get a tab-separated import file with all 38 cards, then choose File › Import in Anki. The file's header lines set the separator, columns, tags and deck name for you. A CSV version is also available for spreadsheets and other flashcard apps.
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