iyiyim
/ijijim/from spelling rules
In Turkish, "I am good" is said as iyiyim.
iyiyim is a response used to say that you are healthy or feeling well when asked how you are. While it can also be used to mean "I am good at [a skill]", when it is used as a standalone response to the question "Nasılsın?" (How are you?), it specifically means "I am well/fine".
Which one should you use?
In Turkish, iyiyim is used to describe a state of being well, whereas iyi biriyim would be used to describe being a "good person" regarding one's moral character.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on who you are addressing: iyisin means "you are good" (singular) and iyisiniz means "you are good" (plural or polite singular).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ijijim/. The /i/ sound is like the [ee] in cr[ee]k, the /j/ sound is like the [y] in [y]es and the /m/ sound is like the [m] in [m]uch.
Did you know?
- In Turkish culture, responding iyiyim is often the expected polite answer even if you are feeling poorly, as complaining about one's health can be seen as complaining about fate.
- Adding the word şükür meaning 'thanks to God' to iyiyim is a deeply ingrained cultural habit that persists regardless of a speaker's actual religious practice.
- The response iyiyim is frequently paired with Sağ ol, which literally translates to 'be healthy' or 'stay alive' rather than a simple 'thanks'.
Examples in context
- Yabancı dil konusunda iyiyimdir.I am good at languages.This sentence is useful for using iyiyim to describe being good at a specific subject.Tatoeba #8184943 by soliloquist, translation #1828475 by Amastan
- Ben tarihte iyiyim.I am good at history.Tatoeba #2080511 by duran, translation #436367 by lukaszpp
- Ben matematik iyiyim.I am good at math.Tatoeba #1256065 by duran, translation #270988 by CC
- Ben iyiyim. Teşekkür ederim.I am good. Thank you.
- Çok iyiyim. Sen nasılsın?I am very good. How about you?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Selin meet on the street.
- CanMerhaba Selin, nasılsın?Hello Selin, how are you?
- SelinMerhaba Can, iyiyim, teşekkür ederim.Hello Can, I am good, thank you.
- CanSenin günün nasıl geçiyor?How is your day going?
- SelinHer şey yolunda, iyiyim.Everything is fine, I am good.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
