Small talks are important in daily conversation. Whether you’re studying the Turkish language or visiting Turkey as a traveler, you should be able to greet people and have small talk with them in Turkish.
So, the first thing you should say – after merhaba – to start a small talk is how are you in Turkish? Native Turkish speakers use more than one phrase to ask about someone, and in this blog post, you’ll learn six different phrases for it. But that’s not all, you’ll also learn how to respond to it in Turkish.
Visiting Turkey or getting to know Turkish culture? One of the most important conversational skills is knowing how to politely greet people and ask how they are doing. While English speakers often just say a quick “Hi how are you?” without expecting much of response in Turkey there are specific phrases used to ask about someone’s wellbeing and health. Here’s a guide to the basics for greeting people and asking “How are you?” in Turkey.
Why Asking “How Are You?” Matters in Turkey
In Turkish culture, asking someone about their health and wellbeing is considered an important part of building relationships and showing care and concern While often an automatic pleasantry in English, Turks do expect an sincere response when asking “Nasılsın?” (How are you?) It’s considered polite to ask and wait for a response. The question shows interest in the person and provides a chance to make a connection. Skipping this greeting could come across as rude or strange.
Turks may also ask more specific questions about your health and situation beyond just a quick “how are you?” Phrases like “Ailen nasıl?” (How is your family) or “Çalışmaların nasıl gidiyor?” (How is work going?) are common. Offering details helps nurture relationships Don’t just say a quick “Fine, thanks”, but provide a thoughtful response.
Common Ways to Say “How Are You?”
Here are some common Turkish phrases used to ask “How are you?”:
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Nasılsın? – The standard way to ask “How are you?” Used in most situations.
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N’aptın? – Very casual way to say “How are you?” or “What’s up?” Used with friends.
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Nasılsınız? – Polite way to ask “How are you?” Used when addressing elders, strangers.
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Ailen nasıl? – “How is your family?” Asking about loved ones shows care.
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Son zamanlarda nasıl gidiyor? – “How has it been going lately?” A more open-ended question.
Listen for these as greetings when meeting Turks for the first time. Lead with Nasılsın? or Nasılsınız? based on the formality.
Common Responses and Turkish Pleasantries
When asked “Nasılsın?” or another greeting question, Turks expect a sincere response, not just a quick “fine”. Here are some go-to responses:
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İyiyim, teşekkürler. – “I’m fine, thanks.” The standard polite response.
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İdare ediyorum. – “I’m managing.” For when things are just okay.
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Kötü hissediyorum. – “I’m feeling bad.” Don’t be afraid to express you’re not well.
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Bugün kendimi harika hissediyorum! – “I’m feeling great today!” For good days.
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Ben de iyiyim, teşekkürler. – “I’m good too, thanks.” Answering back politely.
Other helpful Turkish pleasantries:
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Teşekkür ederim – “Thank you”. Politely thank them for asking.
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Nasıl gidiyor? – “How’s it going?” Asking back shows interest.
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Hayırlı sabahlar – “Good morning” A warm morning greeting.
Putting it All Together: Sample Conversations
To see pleasant greetings and “how are yous” in action, here are some sample conversations:
Ali: Selam Mehmet! Nasılsın?
Mehmet: İyiyim Ali, teşekkür ederim. Ya sen, nasıl gidiyor?
Ali: Ben de iyiyim, teşekkürler. Hayırlı sabahlar!
Mehmet: Sana da hayırlı sabahlar!
Leyla: Merhaba Nursen! N’aptın bugün?
Nursen: Ah kötü hissediyorum, biraz hastayım. Ya sen nasılsın?
Leyla: Geçmiş olsun. Ben de pek iyi değilim aslında, biraz yorgunum.
Nursen: Geçer inşallah. Kendine iyi bak!
As you can see, polite greetings and asking “How are you?” start conversations off on the right foot and help nurture relationships in Turkish culture. So don’t just say a quick “Hi!” – take the time to ask Nasılsın? and listen to the response. It’s an important part of connecting.
Other Helpful Turkish Greetings and Phrases
Once you’ve mastered the basics of saying “how are you”, here are some other helpful greetings and phrases to know:
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Merhaba! – Hello! The standard greeting to use when meeting someone.
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Nasıl gidiyor? – How’s it going? Another very casual greeting.
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Günaydın – Good morning.
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İyi akşamlar – Good evening.
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Hoşçakal! – Goodbye! For parting ways.
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Bir dahaki sefere görüşürüz – See you next time.
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Memnun oldum – Nice to meet you. Say when introducing yourself.
Mastering small talk and greetings in Turkish is essential to politeness and building relationships. Use these tips to ask “How are you?” like a true Turk!
How To Reply To “Nasılsın” In Turkish?
Only asking is not enough, you should also know how to respond to how are you in Turkish. Here are some useful and simple phrases for you.
Meaning: I’m fine.
The standard answer to “nasılsın” is “iyiyim” but some people say so even though they don’t feel good. Because they don’t want to bother explaining why they’re not good. Say it like you mean it!
Meaning: I’m bad.
If you are not feeling good be honest and say “kötüyüm” or “iyi değilim (I’m not good).” But be prepared to answer a volley of questions. They probably won’t let it go until they make you smile.
Meaning: Same.
Well, maybe there is nothing much to talk about, and nothing has changed since you last talked to each other. In this case, you can say “aynı,” same, nothing new.
Meaning: I’m sick.
Maybe you caught a chill last night and feel weak and sick; then you can say “hastayım” to let the other person know why you don’t look good.
Meaning: I’m sleepy.
Have you been pulling a face all day because you were up with the lark? (well, that sounds like me). When someone asks you what’s wrong, “neyin var?” you can answer it by saying “uykuluyum” or “uykum var” both mean I’m sleepy.
Meaning: And you? / What about you?
After replying to someone’s question, it’s polite to ask about them so you can say “ya sen” in an informal situation or “ya siz” in a formal situation. This way, you can ask how they are in a quick and natural way.
How To Ask How Are You In Turkish?
Here are the common Turkish phrases that every native speaker uses daily. You can also see their English translations right below and listen to their pronunciation.
Meaning: How are you?
“Nasıl” literally means how which is the most commonly used word for asking about someone. It’s a neutral phrase, but if you want to sound formal and polite, you can say “nasılsınız?” by changing it to second person plural.
Meaning: What’s up?
This phrase means “what’s up” and similarly, it’s an informal and casual phrase that you should only say to your friends. This Turkish phrase is actually transformed to “naber” from “ne haber” which literally means what news by the time.
Meaning: What are you doing?
Well, this phrase is not really asking how someone is; it actually asks what someone is doing, like physically “what are you up to?” However, we sometimes use it interchangeably with “nasılsın” in Turkey.
I know it’s weird but many Turks do this, including me. So it’s very likely to witness a conversation between two Turks:
A: Selam, ne yapıyorsun? (Hey, what are you doing?)
B: İyiyim, sen ne yapıyorsun? (I’m fine, what about you?)
A: Nasılsın demedim. Ne yapıyorsun dedim. (I didn’t say how are you. I’ve said what are you doing.)
My sister and I have this conversation almost every day, and she is the one saying “I didn’t say how are you.”
Meaning: How is it going?
This is another casual phrase to use instead of nasılsın. It has a meaning like how is life going or how have you been lately.
How to ask “how are you?” in Turkish – One Minute Turkish Lesson 9
FAQ
How do you greet in Turkey?
How do you say hi how are you in Turkey?
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Hello
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Merhaba
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Mur-Ha-Bah
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How are you?
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Nasilsiniz?
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Nah-suhl-suh-nuhz
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Goodbye (Person leaving)
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Hoşçakalin
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Hosh-cha-kaluhn
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Goodbye (Person staying)
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Güle güle
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Guele guele
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Yes
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Evet
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Eh-vet
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How do you reply to nasilsin?