selam
/seˈlam/
The English phrase "salam" is translated into Turkish as selam.
selam is a greeting used to say hello. You can also use the more emphatic or poetic phrase Selam olsun to mean "Greetings to you" or "May there be peace", which is often found in literature or more formal well-wishing.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "greetings" in written correspondence or as a more polite verbal greeting, you can add the plural suffix -lar to the base word to form selamlar.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /seˈlam/. The /s/ sound is like the [s] in [s]end, and the /m/ sound is like the [m] in [m]uch.
Did you know?
- The word selam can be used as a verb in the phrase selam vermek, which literally means 'to give a greeting'. To ignore someone's greeting is described as selam almamak, meaning 'not to take the greeting'.
- The Turkish selam is a distant relative of the Hebrew word shalóm, as both share a common root meaning 'peace'.
- In Turkey, saying selam is often accompanied by a light touch of the hand to the chest or a slight nod. This gesture emphasizes the sincerity of the wish for peace.
Examples in context
- Herkese selam!Hello everyone!
- Sana bir selam getirdim.I brought you a greeting.
- Yolda gördüm, selam söyle.I saw him on the way, say hello to him.
Example conversation
Merve and Mehmet meet at a cafe.
- MerveSelam Mehmet!Hi Mehmet!
- MehmetSelam Merve, hoş geldin.Hi Merve, welcome.
- MerveTeşekkür ederim.Thank you.
- MehmetNasılsın?How are you?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry selam, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries selam, CC BY-SA 4.0.
