مرحبا
merhabaeveryday
Hello in Ottoman Turkish was مرحبا (merhaba), the same greeting Turkish uses today. A more formal greeting was سلام علیکم (selâmün aleyküm), "peace be upon you".
Meaning: a greeting (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Turkish | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبا | merhaba | everyday |
| سلام علیکم | selâmün aleyküm | formal, religious |
The reply to سلام علیکم (selâmün aleyküm) was علیکم السلام (aleyküm selâm).
When do people say it?
Ottoman Turkish was written in the Arabic script until the alphabet reform of 1928, after which Turkish switched to the Latin alphabet.
Did you know?
- Merhaba comes from Arabic and was used in Ottoman times much as Turkish speakers use it today.
Examples in context
- مرحبا افندمmerhaba efendimHello, sir.
Example conversation
A merchant, Ahmed Efendi, greets a guest, Hasan Bey, at his shop in old Istanbul.
- Hasan Beyسلام علیکمselâmün aleykümPeace be upon you.
- Ahmed Efendiعلیکم السلامaleyküm selâmAnd upon you, peace.
- Ahmed Efendiخوش کلدڭزhoş geldinizWelcome.
