nasıl
/ˈna.sɯɫ/
The English word "how" is translated into Turkish as nasıl.
nasıl is used to inquire about the manner in which an action is performed or to ask about a person's well-being or state.
Meaning: in what manner (adv)
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike in English, nasıl does not change its form based on the person or number of the subject it refers to.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The /n/ sound is like the [n] in "not", the /s/ sound is like the [s] in "send" and the /ɯ/ sound is somewhat like the [o] in "ribbon".
When do people say it?
When asking someone how they are using nasıl, a common response is İyiyim, which means "I am fine".
Did you know?
- When asking nasıl to inquire about someone's health, a very common response is şükür, which means 'thanks' or 'gratitude to God'.
- The word nasıl is actually a combination of two older words, ne meaning 'what' and asıl meaning 'origin' or 'essence'.
- If you say nasıl yani?, you are not asking 'how' in a general sense, but specifically asking for a clarification like 'What do you mean by that?'
Examples in context
- O onu nasıl yapar?How does she do it?This sentence shows how to use nasıl to ask about the manner of an action.Tatoeba #2027786 by duran, translation #1652341 by Spamster
- Tom ve Mary nasıl?How are Tom and Mary?This sentence shows how to use nasıl to ask about the state of people.Tatoeba #4369037 by duran, translation #2547945 by CK
- O onu nasıl yaptı?How did she make that?This sentence shows how to use nasıl to ask about the manner of a past action.Tatoeba #4788920 by deyta, translation #2176421 by dafp
- 7954 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Burak are talking on the phone about a new job.
- MerveYeni işin nasıl gidiyor?How is your new job going?
- BurakÇok yoğun ama çok güzel.Very busy but very good.
- MerveBuna çok sevindim!I am so happy about this!
- BurakTeşekkürler Merve.Thanks Merve.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how” translations and entries nasıl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nasıl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
