How to Say “Goodbye” in Turkish
The usual way to say “Goodbye” in Turkish is Hoşça kal. It is informal: for friends, family and people your own age. Below are 4 alternatives (formal, neutral), how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.
In Turkish
Hoşça kal
- Literally
- “stay pleasantly”
- Register
- Informalfor friends, family and people your own age
How Hoşça kal is built
- hoşpleasant
- -çamanner suffix, like English “-ly”
- kalstay (imperative of kalmak)
Other ways to say “Goodbye”
- Hoşça kalınFormal
“stay pleasantly (polite or plural)”
For strangers, elders or a group.
- Güle güleNeutral
“go smiling”
Said by the person who stays to the one leaving.
- GörüşürüzInformal
“we’ll see each other”
The most common casual goodbye.
- Allaha ısmarladıkNeutral
“we entrusted you to God”
Traditional goodbye by the one leaving; answered with güle güle.
How to reply
Güle güle!
Bye! (from the one staying)
Hoşça kal!
Goodbye!
Example dialogue
- A
Ben çıkıyorum. Hoşça kal!
I’m off. Goodbye!
- B
Güle güle, yine bekleriz.
Bye, come again.
Related phrases
All phrases →More greetings & goodbyes
Go deeper
“Goodbye” in Turkish: FAQ
How do you say “Goodbye” in Turkish?
The most common way is Hoşça kal (literally “stay pleasantly”), which is informal: for friends, family and people your own age. You will also hear Hoşça kalın (“stay pleasantly (polite or plural)”): for strangers, elders or a group.
How do you reply to Hoşça kal?
Typical replies are Güle güle! (“Bye! (from the one staying)”) and Hoşça kal! (“Goodbye!”).
What does each part of Hoşça kal mean?
hoş = pleasant; -ça = manner suffix, like English “-ly”; kal = stay (imperative of kalmak). Turkish splits goodbye by role: the person leaving says hoşça kal (“stay well”) and the person staying replies güle güle (“go with a smile”).
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