How do you say hello and thank you in Turkish?
In Turkey, "hello" is said "Merhaba" (mehr-ha-ba) and "thank you" is said "Teşekkür ederim" (té-chèk-ker è-dé-rim) or more commonly "Teşekkürler" (té-chèk-kür-ler).
Essential Greetings in Turkish
- Hello: "Merhaba" (pronounced mehr-ha-ba) — the standard greeting used at any time of day.
- Thank you: "Teşekkür ederim" (té-chèk-ker è-dé-rim) — complete and polite form.
- Thank you (common): "Teşekkürler" (té-chèk-kür-ler) — short version most used in everyday life.
Other Useful Greetings
To enrich your exchanges with Turkish people, you can also learn "Günaydın" (gün-ay-dın) for "good morning", "İyi akşamlar" (i-yi ak-cham-lar) for "good evening", and "Hoşça kalın" (hoch-ça ka-lın) for "goodbye".
Local Agency Advice
Turkish people greatly appreciate the effort travelers make to try a few words in their language. A simple "Merhaba" accompanied by a smile will open many doors for you and facilitate your daily interactions.