afiyet olsun
/aː.fi.jet‿olˈsun/
The Turkish phrase for "enjoy your food" is afiyet olsun.
Afiyet olsun is a phrase used to wish someone a pleasant meal before or during eating. It can be understood as "may it bring you wellness".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of afiyet, meaning health, well-being or comfort and olsun, meaning "may it be".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /aː.fi.jet‿olˈsun/. The stress is on the 4th syllable. The sounds are similar to the following English comparisons: /f/ as in [f]ood, /i/ as in cr[ee]k, /j/ as in [y]es, /s/ as in [s]end, /u/ as in c[oo]l and /n/ as in [n]ot.
When do people say it?
In Turkish culture, it is common to say afiyet olsun to someone who is currently eating, even if you are not eating with them. When someone says afiyet olsun to you, a common and polite response is Teşekkür ederim (Thank you). If someone says afiyet olsun to you while you are also eating, you can respond with Size de (To you too).
Did you know?
- While afiyet olsun is typically a wish for health, it is also used ironically or as a sarcastic remark when someone is eating something they shouldn't be or is eating greedily.
- The word afiyet shares an ancient root with the Arabic word for 'safety' or 'protection', suggesting that eating is a moment where one seeks health and protection from illness.
- You do not need to be a dining companion to use the phrase. A Turkish person might offer afiyet olsun to a complete stranger eating alone on a park bench as a gesture of polite acknowledgment.
Examples in context
- Afiyet olsun.Enjoy your food.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase afiyet olsun.Tatoeba #1329357 by Gulo_Luscus, translation #4430565 by Zaher
- Herkes hazırsa, afiyet olsun!If everyone is ready, enjoy your food!
Example conversation
Can serves dinner to Elif at home.
- CanElif, yemekler hazır, afiyet olsun.Elif, the food is ready, enjoy your meal.
- ElifÇok teşekkür ederim, Can.Thank you very much, Can.
- CanYemekler çok güzel kokuyor.The food smells very good.
- ElifSana da afiyet olsun.Enjoy your meal too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry afiyet olsun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries afiyet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
