Selam, nasılsın?
The English phrase "hey, how are you?" in Turkish is Selam, nasılsın?
In Turkish, Selam is a casual and friendly way to say "hey", while Merhaba means "hello" or "hey". For a colloquial way to say "Hey, what's up?" among friends, you can use Naber.
Which one should you use?
The forms nasılsın? and nasılsınız? differ based on the level of respect or the number of people being addressed. nasılsın? is the singular, informal version, whereas nasılsınız? is the formal or plural version used to show respect to elders and strangers or when addressing a group.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Selam, nasılsın? is an informal way to greet someone and is suitable for friends and family. For formal situations, you should use Merhaba, nasılsınız?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form nasılsın? is the singular, informal way to ask "how are you?" used with friends or peers.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you Nasılsınız? or Nasılsın?, you can respond with İyiyim, teşekkür ederim. Another standard, polite response to the question nasılsın? is İyiyim, teşekkürler.
Did you know?
- In many parts of Turkey, instead of asking 'how are you?', people might ask Ne var ne yok?, which literally translates to 'what is there and what is not?'
- The word Selam shares a deep ancestral link with the Hebrew word shalóm, which is why both words are used as greetings in their respective languages.
- Depending on the region, some Turkish speakers might respond to nasılsın? with şükür, which means 'thanks to God' rather than just saying they are 'good'.
Examples in context
- Selam, nasılsın? Ne yapıyorsun bugün?Hey, how are you? What are you up to today?
- Selam, nasılsın?Hey, how are you?
- Selam, nasılsın? Bugün çok enerjik görünüyorsun.Hey, how are you? You look very energetic today.
- Selam, nasılsın? Uzun zamandır görüşmedik.Hey, how are you? We haven't seen each other in a long time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries selam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
