iyiyim
/ijijim/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am ok" is translated into Turkish as iyiyim.
iyiyim is used to express that you are in good health or feeling well. When responding to a greeting, it is common to follow iyiyim with teşekkürler (thanks).
What does it mean word for word?
The form is built from the word iyi, which means "good".
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular form of this phrase, meaning "he/she/it is good", is iyidir.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ijijim/. The /i/ sound is like the [ee] in cr[ee]k, the /j/ sound is like the [y] in [y]es and the /m/ sound is like the [m] in [m]uch.
Did you know?
- When someone offers you more food or a drink, you can say iyiyim to politely decline. In this context, it means 'I am satisfied' or 'I have had enough' rather than describing your health.
- Turkish speakers often respond to 'how are you' with iyiyim, şükür, which translates to 'I am fine, thanks to God'. This is a cultural reflex used by people of various levels of religiosity.
- While iyiyim means 'I am fine', simply saying iyi can be used as a command to tell someone to be 'good' or to 'behave'.
Examples in context
- Çok iyiyim, teşekkür ederim.I am very well, thank you.
- Bugün biraz yorgunum ama iyiyim.I am a bit tired today, but I am okay.
- Sorduğun için sağ ol, iyiyim.Thanks for asking, I am fine.
Example conversation
Emre and Zeynep meet in a cafe.
- EmreZeynep, nasılsın?Zeynep, how are you?
- Zeynepİyiyim, sen nasılsın Emre?I am okay, how are you Emre?
- EmreBen de iyiyim, teşekkürler.I am also fine, thanks.
- ZeynepHarika, sevindim.Great, I am glad.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
