How to Say “Hello” in Turkish
The usual way to say “Hello” in Turkish is Merhaba. It is neutral: safe in almost any situation. Below are 4 alternatives (informal, formal), how to reply, an example dialogue and the grammar behind it.
In Turkish
Merhaba
- Literally
- “hello (from Arabic marhaban, “welcome”)”
- Register
- Neutralsafe in almost any situation
How Merhaba is built
- merhabahello; one fixed word that never changes
Other ways to say “Hello”
- SelamInformal
“hi”
Casual; for friends, colleagues your age and younger people.
- MerhabalarNeutral
“hello (to a group)”
The plural sounds warm; common when greeting several people or opening a message.
- İyi günlerFormal
“good day”
Polite greeting in shops and offices; also said when leaving.
- SelamünaleykümNeutral
“peace be upon you”
Traditional greeting, common among older men; the reply is Aleykümselam.
How to reply
Merhaba!
Hello!
Merhaba, hoş geldiniz.
Hello, welcome.
Example dialogue
- A
Merhaba, ben Elif.
Hello, I’m Elif.
- B
Merhaba Elif, ben Tom. Memnun oldum.
Hello Elif, I’m Tom. Nice to meet you.
- A
Ben de memnun oldum.
Nice to meet you too.
Related phrases
All phrases →More greetings & goodbyes
Go deeper
“Hello” in Turkish: FAQ
How do you say “Hello” in Turkish?
The most common way is Merhaba (literally “hello (from Arabic marhaban, “welcome”)”), which is neutral: safe in almost any situation. You will also hear Selam (“hi”): casual; for friends, colleagues your age and younger people.
How do you reply to Merhaba?
Typical replies are Merhaba! (“Hello!”) and Merhaba, hoş geldiniz. (“Hello, welcome.”).
When do Turks say Merhaba?
Merhaba works everywhere, from a shop counter to a phone call, and never sounds rude. With friends most Turks switch to selam, and shop staff often answer a merhaba with hoş geldiniz (welcome).
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