Which one should you use?
While teşekkür etmek is the base verb phrase, you will often use its conjugated forms or shorter versions depending on the situation. Teşekkürler is the noun form used for a more casual 'thanks', whereas Sağ ol is a colloquial way to say thank you that literally means 'be well'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb phrase teşekkür etmek to say 'I thank you', you must conjugate the auxiliary verb etmek to the first-person singular form ederim, resulting in teşekkür ederim. The person being thanked must be in the dative case, which means you add the suffix -e or -a to the person's name or pronoun.
How do you pronounce it?
The /ʃ/ sound is like the [sh] in shoe, the /c/ sound is like the [k] in skew, the /ɾ/ sound is like the [t] in American English atom and the /m/ sound is like the [m] in much.
Did you know?
- When you use the casual expression sağ ol, you are not just saying 'thanks' but are actually wishing the other person a long and healthy life.
- The word teşekkür is an Arabic loanword that entered the language during the Ottoman era, reflecting a historical layer of vocabulary used specifically for formal social interactions.
- When politely refusing a gift or an offer, Turkish speakers often pair the word teşekkürler with a physical gesture, such as a slight head tilt or a wave of the hand.
Examples in context
- Teşekkür ederim, yardımınız içinThank you for your help
- Yardımın için teşekkür etmek istiyorum.I want to thank you for your help.
- Bana bu hediyeyi verdiğin için teşekkür etmek isterim.I would like to thank you for giving me this gift.
Example conversation
Selin and Burak are at a cafe and Burak brings Selin her coffee.
- SelinKahvemi getirdiğin için teşekkür ederim, Burak.Thank you for bringing my coffee, Burak.
- BurakRica ederim Selin, afiyet olsun.You're welcome Selin, enjoy your drink.
- SelinÇok naziksin, gerçekten teşekkür etmek isterim.You are very kind, I really want to thank you.
- BurakLafı bile olmaz, her zaman.Don't mention it, anytime.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries etmek, teşekkür, teşekkür etmek, CC BY-SA 4.0.
