What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of merhaba (hello), lütfen (please), ve (and) and teşekkürler (thanks).
Which one should you use?
Instead of merhaba you can greet by time of day: Günaydın (good morning) until midday, Tünaydın (good day) from midday until evening and İyi akşamlar (good evening) from evening on. For thank you, teşekkür ederim is fuller and more formal than teşekkürler. Sağ olun is also a formal thank you, used when someone goes out of their way to help you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Merhaba is a standard, neutral greeting that suits most situations, while selam is more informal. Teşekkürler is informal, and Teşekkür ederim and Sağ olun are formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
teşekkürler is the plural of teşekkür (thank), used as a short way to say thank you.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase is pronounced /ˈmæɾ.ha.baː ˈlyt.fɛn ve te.ʃec.cyɾˈleɾ/. The r is a quick tap like the t in American English atom, the ş sounds like the sh in shoe and the ü is a rounded vowel with no exact English match.
Did you know?
- The formal 'thank you' sağ olun literally translates to 'be healthy' or 'be alive', which is a way of wishing well to the person who helped you.
- Almost all the words in this phrase are actually borrowed from Arabic, which reflects the historical influence of the Ottoman Empire.
- In traditional Turkish culture, a greeting like merhaba is often accompanied by a slight nod of the head or, in very formal settings, a hand placed over the heart to show sincerity.
Examples in context
- Merhaba, bir masaya oturabilir miyim lütfen?Hello, can I sit at a table, please?
- Teşekkür ederim.Thank you.
- Selam! Şu kitabı ödünç alabilir miyim lütfen?Hi! Can I borrow this book, please?
- Merhaba, lütfen ve teşekkürler deyin.Say hello, please, and thank you.
- Bu kelimeler: merhaba, lütfen ve teşekkürler.These words are: hello, please, and thank you.
Example conversation
Selin is teaching Can basic Turkish phrases.
- SelinEn önemli kelimeler merhaba, lütfen ve teşekkürler.The most important words are hello, please, and thank you.
- CanBunları ezberlemek kolay mı, Selin?Is it easy to memorize these, Selin?
- SelinEvet, çok basit kelimeler.Yes, they are very simple words.
- CanTamam, hemen çalışmaya başlayacağım.Okay, I will start studying right away.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (merhaba, lütfen, ve, teşekkürler) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lütfen, merhaba, teşekkürler, ve, CC BY-SA 4.0.
