afiyet olsun
/aː.fi.jet‿olˈsun/
In Turkish, "good appetite" is expressed as afiyet olsun.
afiyet olsun is used to wish someone an enjoyable meal, functioning similarly to "bon appetit" or "enjoy your meal". In Turkish, this phrase is used both before a meal starts and after someone has finished eating.
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 or let it be.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb olsun is in the third-person singular imperative/optative mood, which is used here to express a wish: "may it be health".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /aː.fi.jet‿olˈsun/. The syllables are 4 and the stress is on the 4th syllable. The sounds are as follows: [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?
When someone says afiyet olsun to you, the standard response is teşekkür ederim (thank you).
Did you know?
- In some contexts, afiyet olsun can be used ironically or sarcastically when someone is eating something they should not be, or is eating greedily.
- In Turkish culture, saying afiyet olsun is not just a polite gesture for a guest, but it is also commonly used by the host to the person who cooked the meal as a way of acknowledging the effort.
- The word afiyet is derived from the Arabic word ʕāfiya, which refers to a state of being free from illness or affliction.
Examples in context
- Yemek bitti, afiyet olsun.The meal is finished, enjoy your meal.
- Çok güzel bir yemek, afiyet olsun.It is a very delicious meal, enjoy your meal.
- Afiyet olsun, ellerine sağlık.Enjoy your meal, health to your hands.
Example conversation
Mehmet and Selin are sitting down for dinner.
- MehmetHadi yiyelim, afiyet olsun!Let's eat, enjoy your meal!
- SelinÇok teşekkür ederim, Mehmet.Thank you very much, Mehmet.
- MehmetYemekler çok güzel görünüyor.The food looks very good.
- SelinEvet, sana da afiyet olsun.Yes, 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.
