Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| merhaba | /ˈmæɾ.ha.baː/ /ˈme.ɾa.ba/ |
| selam | /selam/ (from spelling rules) |
| esenlikler | /esenlicleɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
These words are used to greet people. While merhaba is the most common way to say hello and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, other forms exist depending on how close you are to the person you are addressing.
Which one should you use?
merhaba is the standard, neutral way to say hello and is suitable for most social situations. selam is an informal version of hello, used primarily with friends or people of the same age. esenlikler is a much more formal and old-fashioned way to offer greetings, often used in written or very polite contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈmæɾ.ha.baː/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The sounds are similar to the following English words: /m/ as in [m]uch, /æ/ as in c[a]t, /ɾ/ as in AmE a[t]om, /h/ as in [h]ome and /b/ as in a[b]out.
When do people say it?
Turkish culture includes various time-specific and religious greetings. For example, Günaydın is used specifically in the morning meaning "Good morning", Tünaydın is a greeting specific to the afternoon meaning "Good afternoon" and İyi akşamlar is a phrase used to say "Good evening". A traditional Muslim greeting is Selamün Aleyküm, which means "Peace be upon you". The word selam is a shortened version of Selamün Aleyküm used among friends and people of the same age group. For casual follow-ups, Nasılsın? means "How are you?" and Ne haber? means "What's up?"
Did you know?
- The word merhaba is actually an expression of hospitality, meaning 'you have entered a spacious place' or 'you are welcome'.
- Turkish speakers often accompany a greeting like merhaba with a slight nod of the head or, in very respectful contexts, a hand placed over the heart.
- In traditional Turkish settings, Selamün Aleyküm is not just a greeting but a social contract that requires a specific response, Aleyküm Selam, to be polite.
Examples in context
- Selam, ne var ne yok?Hello there, what's new?This sentence uses selam to show a casual greeting.Tatoeba #4412730 by duran, translation #2258659 by _undertoad
- O asla merhaba demez.She never says hello.This sentence uses merhaba to show a standard greeting.Tatoeba #5939929 by deyta, translation #5936186 by Hybrid
- Merhaba, kimse var mı?Hello, is anybody there?Tatoeba #4829084 by duran, translation #1570147 by CM
- 246 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emre and Merve meet at a coffee shop.
- EmreMerhaba, Merve!Hello, Merve!
- MerveMerhaba, Emre. Nasılsın?Hello, Emre. How are you?
- Emreİyiyim, teşekkür ederim.I am fine, thank you.
- MerveBen de iyiyim.I am fine too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries merhaba, selam, esenlikler, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries merhaba, selam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
