iyi günler
/iˈji ɡynˈleɾ/
To say good day in Turkish, as a greeting between sunrise and sunset, say iyi günler.
iyi günler can be used both when arriving, as a greeting and when leaving, where it means have a good day. Shop staff and customers say it to each other all the time.
Meaning: greeting between sunrise and sunset (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means good days, because günler is the plural of gün, day.
Which one should you use?
Günaydın is the greeting for good morning, used until around noon. Selam is a casual hello for friends and acquaintances.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
iyi günler is a polite, standard expression that suits strangers, customers and formal settings during daylight hours.
How does it change in a sentence?
The greeting is always plural. The singular iyi gün is not used as a standalone greeting.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase is pronounced /iˈji ɡynˈleɾ/. The j sound is like the y in yes, and the final r is a quick tap, like the t in American atom.
Did you know?
- The word iyi has a distant linguistic relative in the Mongolian word ed, which refers to a 'thing', 'item', or 'property'.
- Turkish has several words for 'good', and iyi specifically describes a positive quality or state, whereas other words might be used for 'good' in terms of taste or morality.
- While iyi günler is standard, a very casual greeting like selam is derived from the Arabic word for 'peace', reflecting the historical linguistic layers of Turkish.
Examples in context
- İş yerinde iyi günler.Have a good day at work.iyi günler follows the phrase for at work, have a good day at work.Tatoeba #7149442 by duran, translation #5639877 by Hybrid
- İyi günler. Ne istersiniz?Good day. What do you want?İyi günler opens the conversation before a shop question.Tatoeba #2310288 by Gulo_Luscus, translation #2310291 by Gulo_Luscus
- İyi günler, Doktor Mortimer.Good day, Doctor Mortimer.İyi günler greets a person by title and name.Tatoeba #4794527 by deyta, translation #1160248 by cntrational
- İyi günler! Size nasıl yardımcı olabilirim?Good day! How can I assist you?
- Merhaba! Nasılsın? İyi bir gün geçiriyor musun?Hello! How are you? Are you having a good day?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can and Elif pass each other on a sunny street.
- Canİyi günler, Elif Hanım.Good day, Ms. Elif.
- Elifİyi günler, Can Bey.Good day, Mr. Can.
- CanBugün hava çok güzel.The weather is very beautiful today.
- ElifEvet, gerçekten harika.Yes, it is truly wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries iyi günler, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries iyi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
