her şeyin en iyisi
/heɾ ʃejin en ijisi/from spelling rules
The English phrase "all the best" can be expressed in Turkish as her şeyin en iyisi.
Meaning: good luck (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is a literal translation of "the best of everything", where her şeyin means "of everything" and en iyisi means "the best".
Which one should you use?
While her şeyin en iyisi translates to "all the best", if you want to wish someone "good luck" in a conversational way, such as before an exam or a game, it is much more natural to use bol şans.
How do you pronounce it?
The sounds are comparable to: [h] in [h]ome, the American English [t] in a[t]om for the [ɾ] sound, [sh] in [sh]oe for [ʃ], [y] in [y]es for [j], cr[ee]k for [i], [n] in [n]ot for [n] and [s] in [s]end for [s].
Did you know?
- While her şeyin en iyisi is used for general well-wishes, Turkish speakers often use bol şans to wish luck. The word bol literally means 'plentiful', suggesting that the person should receive luck in large quantities.
- The word her in her şeyin en iyisi shares an ancient root with the Greek word hólos, meaning 'complete'. This makes it a distant relative of the English word 'holistic'.
- The Turkish word şey, found in her şeyin, means 'thing'. It is one of the most flexible words in the language and is often used as a filler word when a speaker forgets a specific noun.
Examples in context
- Hayatında her şeyin en iyisini dilerim.I wish all the best in your life.
Example conversation
Merve is saying goodbye to Mehmet before his job interview.
- MerveMehmet, mülakatın için her şeyin en iyisini dilerim.Mehmet, I wish you all the best for your interview.
- MehmetÇok teşekkür ederim, Merve.Thank you very much, Merve.
- MerveKendine güven, başaracaksın.Trust yourself, you will succeed.
- MehmetUmarım öyle olur, görüşürüz.I hope so, see you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries en, her, CC BY-SA 4.0.
