What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "I became pleased with our having met". The word Tanıştığımıza is a gerund meaning "to our having met", where the -mıza suffix indicates "our".
Which one should you use?
While Tanıştığımıza memnun oldum is the full version, the shortened Memnun oldum is very common and carries the same meaning of "Nice to meet you".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Tanıştığımıza memnun oldum is a formal and polite way to say "nice meeting you". In contrast, an informal way to say "Welcome, nice meeting you" is Hoş geldin, tanıştığıma sevindim personally.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Turkey, people may use the shortened version Memnun oldum to express pleasure at meeting someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the word Tanıştığımıza, the -mıza suffix functions to indicate the first-person plural possessive "our".
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tanɯʃtɯːmɯza memnun oldum/. The /n/ sound is like the [n] in "not", /ɯ/ is somewhat like the [o] in "ribbon", /ʃ/ is like the [sh] in "shoe", /m/ is like the [m] in "much", /z/ is like the [z] in "zone" and /u/ is like the [oo] in "cool".
When do people say it?
When someone says Tanıştığımıza memnun oldum, the standard response is Ben de memnun oldum, which means "I am also pleased" (Nice to meet you too).
Did you know?
- The word memnun in this phrase has its roots in Arabic rather than Turkish, a common feature of many formal Turkish words used during the Ottoman era.
- While Memnun oldum is used for first meetings, Turks often use the phrase Hoş bulduk as a response when welcomed to a place, though it has no direct English equivalent.
- The phrase Memnun oldum can also be used at the end of a conversation to signal a polite departure, acting as a closing remark rather than just an introduction.
Examples in context
- Sizinle tanıştığımıza memnun oldum.It was a pleasure meeting you.
Example conversation
Emre and Elif meet for the first time at a social gathering.
- EmreMerhaba Elif Hanım, ben Emre.Hello Ms. Elif, I am Emre.
- ElifMemnun oldum Emre Bey.Nice to meet you, Mr. Emre.
- EmreBen de tanıştığımıza memnun oldum.I am also glad to have met you.
- ElifGörüşmek üzere.See you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries memnun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
