Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| Allah'a şükür | /allaha ʃycyɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
| tanrıya şükür | /tanɾɯja ʃycyɾ/ (from spelling rules) |
| şükürler olsun | /ʃycyɾleɾ olsun/ (from spelling rules) |
| şükür | /ʃyˈcyr/ |
| elhamdülillah | /elˈham.dy.lil.lah/ |
These expressions are used as exclamations of gratitude or relief.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Allah'a şükür literally means 'thanks to Allah' or 'gratitude to Allah'.
Which one should you use?
Allah'a şükür is much more common in daily speech than tanrıya şükür. The single word şükür acts as an informal shorthand exclamation of relief, similar to saying 'thank goodness' in English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Allah'a şükürler olsun is a formal and respectful way to express gratitude, meaning 'Thanks be to God'. In contrast, elhamdülillah is used specifically within religious or more traditional contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The /h/ is like the [h] in home, /ʃ/ is like the [sh] in shoe, /c/ is like the [k] in skew and /ɾ/ is like the [t] in the American English word atom.
When do people say it?
Allah'a şükür is much more common in daily speech than tanrıya şükür, as 'Allah' is the standard term used by the majority of Turkish speakers regardless of strict religious observance.
Did you know?
- The expression elhamdülillah is not just a way to say 'thank God', but is also a standard response when someone asks if you are doing well or if you have eaten.
- The word tanrı used in tanrıya şükür is a native Turkic word for 'god', whereas Allah is a loanword from Arabic.
- If you use the more formal Allah'a şükürler olsun, you are adding a plural suffix to the word 'gratitude' to increase the intensity of the thanks.
Examples in context
- Tanrıya şükür bugün Cuma.Thank God it's Friday.This sentence shows how to use tanrıya şükür to express relief about the day of the week.Tatoeba #4789351 by deyta, translation #2153071 by MrShoval
- Onun için Tanrı'ya şükür.Thank God for that.This sentence shows how to use şükür to express gratitude for something.Tatoeba #5771496 by duran, translation #5757346 by CM
- Tanrıya şükür kimse ölmedi.Thank God nobody died.This sentence shows how to use tanrıya şükür to express relief regarding a situation where no one was harmed.Tatoeba #4742999 by deyta, translation #4497295 by CK
- Allah'a şükürler olsun! Gerçekten harika haber!Thank God! That's truly great news!
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Selin and Mehmet are talking in a cafe after a long day.
- SelinSınavı geçtim, Allah'a şükür!I passed the exam, thank god!
- MehmetÇok sevindim, senin adına çok mutlu oldum.I'm so glad, I'm very happy for you.
- SelinTeşekkürler, gerçekten büyük bir rahatlama.Thanks, it's a real relief.
- MehmetHer şey gönlünce olsun.May everything go as you wish.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank God” translations and entries Allah'a şükür, şükür, elhamdülillah, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
