iyi akşamlar
/iː ak.ʃamˈɫaɾ/
To say good evening in Turkish, say iyi akşamlar. If unsure, use iyi akşamlar. Wiktionary also lists tünaydın.
Meaning: greeting said in the evening (intj)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| iyi akşamlar | /iː ak.ʃamˈɫaɾ/ /jak.ʃamˈɫaɾ/ |
| tünaydın | /ˈtynajdɯn/ |
iyi akşamlar is the common, universal way to say good evening. It can be used both as a greeting when you arrive and as a way to say goodbye in the evening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is made of iyi, good and the plural of akşam, evening, so it literally means good evenings.
Which one should you use?
tünaydın is a greeting for the afternoon, not the evening. İyi akşamlar dilerim is an extended version, and İyi akşamlar canım is an affectionate version for someone you are close to.
How do you pronounce it?
iyi akşamlar is pronounced /iː ak.ʃamˈɫaɾ/, with the stress on the last syllable. The ş sounds like the sh in shoe, and the final r is a quick tap, like the t in American atom.
Did you know?
- The word iyi shares a common ancestor with the Mongolian word эд, which means 'item' or 'property'.
- While iyi akşamlar uses a plural form for 'evenings', it is used when speaking to a single person just as often as to a group.
Examples in context
- İyi akşamlar, bayanlar ve baylar!Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.İyi akşamlar greets an audience of ladies and gentlemen.Tatoeba #4825903 by deyta, translation #1597893 by fanty
- İyi akşamlar. Partinizde kaç kişi var?Good evening. How many are in your party?İyi akşamlar is how a host greets guests before asking about the party size.Tatoeba #5928750 by duran, translation #65818 by CM
- İyi akşamlar. Ben bir bardak süt istiyorum.Good evening. I'd like a glass of milk.İyi akşamlar opens a polite order in a café or restaurant.Tatoeba #4866040 by deyta, translation #3498198 by Objectivesea
- Merhaba! İyi akşamlar.Hello! Good evening.
- İyi akşamlar. Nasılsınız?Good evening. How are you?
- Selam! İyi akşamlar canım.Hey! Good evening, my dear.
- İyi akşamlar canım. Nasılsın?Good evening, my dear. How are you?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Can meets Elif at a cafe in the evening.
- Canİyi akşamlar Elif.Good evening, Elif.
- Elifİyi akşamlar Can, hoş geldin.Good evening Can, welcome.
- CanTeşekkür ederim, nasılsın?Thank you, how are you?
- Elifİyiyim, teşekkürler.I'm fine, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good evening” translations and entries iyi akşamlar, tünaydın, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries iyi, tünaydın, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
