How to Say Hello in Turkish

Merhaba is a versatile word you can use to say hello, no matter the situation. You can say merhaba at any time of the day, with anyone you meet, no matter if you address them using the formal or informal register.

You may also hear people say merhabalar instead of merhaba. This word has the plural suffix lar, and literally translates to “hellos.” It’s slightly more casual, but you can use merhaba and merhabalar interchangeably.

Merhaba comes from Arabic, and it means “welcome” or “hello.” It entered the Turkish language from Arabic, most likely during the Ottoman Empire, a period when Arabic had a significant influence on Turkish.

Selam is the Turkish equivalent of “hi” or “hey.” It’s widely used among friends, family, and younger people, and is as popular as merhaba.

While both merhaba and selam mean “hello,” we can say that selam is the more informal version of saying hello. That said, you can use selam in formal contexts without worrying if it’s too informal.
I’d say when you’re speaking to family or friends, always go for selam. Merhaba is fine too, but it might not give off the friendly vibe you might want to give.

Does the phrase selamün aleykum look familiar? It probably does, as we just covered selam. Selamün aleykum is the long version of the casual Turkish greeting selam.

This Arabic-origin phrase means “Peace be upon you.” You’ll likely hear it in religious contexts. Here’s how it goes: someone greets the others by saying selamün aleykum. Others reply aleyküm selam, wishing peace to the person who initiated the greeting.
That said, you won’t hear it as often as merhaba and selam.

Merhaba and selam are great, but they’re not time-specific. Similar to English, Turkish also uses different greetings depending on the time of the day, such as “good morning” and “good afternoon.”

If it’s before noon, you can greet people with günaydın (“good morning”). When someone says günaydın to you, you can reply günaydın as well. If it’s too early in the morning, anticipate their need for some coffee and ask kahve ister misin? Here is an example dialogue:

• Günaydın! – “Good morning!”
• Günaydın! Kahve ister misin? – “Good morning! Would you like some coffee?”
• Çok iyi olur! – “That would be great!”

As the day winds down, you can switch to iyi akşamlar (“good evening”). This can be both a greeting and a parting, as you can use it instead of both “hello” and “goodbye.”

• Merhaba, iyi akşamlar. – “Hi, good afternoon.”
• İyi akşamlar, nasılsın? – “Good afternoon, how are you?”
• İyiyim, sen? – “I’m good, and you?”

For that period between the morning and the evening, you can use iyi günler, which translates to “good day” in Turkish.

When you’re hosting a party, a dinner, or any other type of greeting, use hoş geldiniz to say “welcome.”
Note that hoş geldiniz is the formal or plural version of “welcome,” so you say it to either someone you address using formal language or to a group of people. If you’re welcoming a friend, you should say hoş geldin, a more informal way to say welcome.
Fun fact: there is a customary response to hoş geldiniz. When someone welcomes you with this phrase, you can respond with hoş bulduk, which literally translates into “we are welcomed,* meaning you appreciate the invite.

A handshake, a kiss on both cheeks, or kissing hands — these can all follow a merhaba in Turkish culture.

Handshakes are common, especially in formal or business settings. They’re also the safest option when meeting someone for the first time, both when greeting and parting.

Kissing on both cheeks is a warm greeting among Turkish friends, as is the case in many Mediterranean countries. The “kiss” is often just a touch of cheeks with a kissing sound.

In aid, or “bayram,” it’s traditional to show respect to the elderly by kissing their hands and then touching their forehead. Bayrams are religious holidays in Turkey, with the two most important being Ramazan Bayramı (“Eid al-Fitr”) and Kurban Bayramı (“Eid al-Adha”). During these festive times, younger people visit the elderly and kiss their hands to wish them a happy bayram.
This greeting is more common during religious holidays or in more traditional settings rather than daily life. As a visitor, you’re not expected to kiss hands, but don’t be surprised if you see it happening, especially in more conservative or rural areas, or during Bayram.

When someone says merhaba to you, the easiest response is to say merhaba right back! You can also say selam or ask a follow up question like nasılsınız? (“how are you?”)
Here are some common answers to merhaba in more detail:

Nasılsınız? (“How are you?”) is one of the most common follow-up questions to merhaba. Note that nasılsınız is the formal or plural version — if you want to ask “how are you” to a friend, say nasılsın? instead.

In more informal contexts, you can use naber instead of nasılsın. Think of naber as “what’s up” and “nasılsın* as “how are you.”

Bonus word in case you’re speaking to Turkish Cypriots: napan, pronounced “na-pahn,” is how you say “what’s up” in informal contexts!

Use this phrase when you’re being introduced to someone new. It’s a polite way to say “nice to meet you” or “pleased to meet you.”

“Hello” in Turkish is often the first step to learning the language. Now you know merhaba and more — you can say selam in more informal contexts, günaydın in the morning, iyi akşamlar in the afternoon, and more!