Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| merhaba | /ˈmæɾ.ha.baː/ /ˈme.ɾa.ba/ |
| selam | /selam/ (from spelling rules) |
| esenlikler | /esenlicleɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
The word merhaba is the most commonly used Turkish word for hello. Other ways to greet people include the informal selam and the very formal esenlikler. For a formal greeting meaning "Good day," you may also use İyi günler.
Which one should you use?
merhaba is a neutral, standard way to say hello that can be used in almost any social situation. selam is an informal greeting used among friends or people of the same age, similar to "Hi" or "Hey" in English. esenlikler is a very formal and somewhat old-fashioned way to offer greetings or well wishes.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
selam is an informal greeting used among friends or people of the same age, whereas merhaba is more polite.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the phrase "to say hello", you use the word merhaba followed by the infinitive form of the verb demek.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈmæɾ.ha.baː/. It has 3 syllables with the stress on the 1st syllable. For the sounds: /m/ is like [m]uch, /æ/ is like c[a]t, /ɾ/ is like AmE a[t]om, /h/ is like [h]ome and /b/ is like a[b]out.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with selam, a traditional Islamic response is Aleykümselam, which means "And upon you be peace."
Did you know?
- In traditional Turkish culture, a greeting is often accompanied by a slight nod or a hand placed over the heart to show sincerity.
- The word selam shares a distant linguistic root with the Hebrew word 'shalom' used for both 'hello' and 'peace'.
- The formal greeting esenlikler is derived from the root esen, which relates to health and being 'safe' or 'sound'.
Examples in context
- Selam, ne var ne yok?Hello there, what's new?This sentence shows how to use selam in a casual question.Tatoeba #4412730 by duran, translation #2258659 by _undertoad
- O asla merhaba demez.She never says hello.This sentence uses merhaba to describe someone not saying hello.Tatoeba #5939929 by deyta, translation #5936186 by Hybrid
- Merhaba, kimse var mı?Hello, is anybody there?This sentence uses merhaba to ask if someone is present.Tatoeba #4829084 by duran, translation #1570147 by CM
- 246 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elif and Burak run into each other at a cafe.
- ElifMerhaba Burak!Hello Burak!
- BurakMerhaba Elif, nasılsın?Hello Elif, how are you?
- Elifİyiyim, teşekkür ederim.I am fine, thank you.
- BurakBen 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.
