Turkish Language - How to say



Turkish Language - How to say - "Thanks.." Here we point out the difference in usage of - teşekkür ederim - thank you.. - and the more sincere - sağ olun - stay healthy.. What are the services being rendered to us..? (1) sağ olun - be healthy, be strong - is used as - thank you.. - for a service which: (A) Was not necessarily needed to be performed.. (B) for someone who has gone out of his way to help you... (2) While - teşekkür ederim - thank you.. - [Lit: a thanking perform I - from Arabic] - is used: In normal circumstances and receiving presents. Scenario (1) The waiter puts a nice meal in front of you. Your - thank you - is - teşekkür ederim - it is his job... The waiter puts a bottle of wine in front of you. Your - thank you - is - teşekkür ederim - it is his job... Then the waiter uncorks the bottle of wine and pours it in your glass. Your - thank you - is - sağ olun - he need not have performed this service. The recipient of your gratitude will often answer your - sağ olun - with the rejoinder - siz de sağ olun - health to you (too).. - [the Polite Version said to to stranger]. Other forms are - sen de sağ ol - or quite short - siz de - or - sen de - you too.. Scenario (2) You ask someone the time. He looks at his watch and says - Half past three. Your answer is - sağ olun - [You have caused him to perform a service to you] Scenario (3) You drop your handkerchief - a stranger picks it up and hand it to you. Your answer is - sağ olun - [He need not have done it..] Scenario (4) Here is a comment one of our readers has made about Manisa Turkish. He has used sağ olun correctly. Thanking us for providing something unasked... Very nice website... ...Very descriptive and helpful .. Manisa Turkish has helped me in communicating with my Turkish friends. I just wanted to give you a very big sağ olun for producing such a useful website...! Dan R. - March 2008 See all accolades for the Manisa Turkish website Our accolades Many tourists use - sağ olun - wrongly instead of using - teşekkür ederim - as they copy the boy waiter's way of thanking - as the waiters often use - sağ olun - for misguided effect. The rule is, if in doubt then use - teşekkür ederim... How to answer a "thank you.." The answer to teşekkür ederim... is - bir şey değil - It is not a thing - or - rica ederim - I request..! - [same as "bitte schön" in German] Also used is - ne demek? - what does it mean?. This expression - ne demek? - sounds quite comical in English. But it actually means something like: - It doesn't matter at all.. The answer - Rica ederim - is the politest one. The recipient of your gratitude will often answer your - sağ olun - with the rejoinder - sana sağ olun - health to you (too).. Other Versions are: sağ ol - familiar sağ olunuz - public and plural A simple - teşekkürler.. also means a very informal - thanks.. and is used in shops and for small duties performed. A little "caveat" - or - "take care.." Many people when first learning Turkish are tempted to use the Present Continuous Tense form - teşekkür ediyorum... - we would advise you that this form sounds quite comical to the Turkish ear and can also be construed as being sarcastic, so one should always use the Present Simple form - teşekkür ederim... - and you will not go wrong or be misunderstood.	Double-Click anywhere for Top of Page

Turkish Language - How to say - "Thanks.."

Here we point out the difference in usage of - teşekkür ederim - thank you.. - and the more sincere - sağ olun - stay healthy..

What are the services being rendered to us..?

(1) sağ olun - be healthy, be strong - is used as - thank you.. - for a service which:
(A) Was not necessarily needed to be performed..
(B) for someone who has gone out of his way to help you...

(2) While - teşekkür ederim - thank you.. - [Lit: a thanking perform I - from Arabic] - is used:
In normal circumstances and receiving presents.

Scenario (1)
The waiter puts a nice meal in front of you. Your - thank you - is - teşekkür ederim - it is his job...
The waiter puts a bottle of wine in front of you. Your - thank you - is - teşekkür ederim - it is his job...
Then the waiter uncorks the bottle of wine and pours it in your glass. Your - thank you - is - sağ olun - he need not have performed this service.
The recipient of your gratitude will often answer your - sağ olun - with the rejoinder - siz de sağ olun - health to you (too).. - [the Polite Version said to to stranger].
Other forms are - sen de sağ ol - or quite short - siz de - or - sen de - you too..

Scenario (2)
You ask someone the time. He looks at his watch and says - Half past three.
Your answer is - sağ olun - [You have caused him to perform a service to you]

Scenario (3)
You drop your handkerchief - a stranger picks it up and hand it to you.
Your answer is - sağ olun - [He need not have done it..]

Scenario (4)

Here is a comment one of our readers has made about Manisa Turkish. He has used sağ olun correctly. Thanking us for providing something unasked...

Very nice website...
...Very descriptive and helpful .. Manisa Turkish has helped me in communicating with my Turkish friends. I just wanted to give you a very big sağ olun for producing such a useful website...!
Dan R. - March 2008

See all accolades for the Manisa Turkish website Our accolades

Many tourists use - sağ olun - wrongly instead of using - teşekkür ederim - as they copy the boy waiter's way of thanking - as the waiters often use - sağ olun - for misguided effect. The rule is, if in doubt then use - teşekkür ederim...

How to answer a "thank you.."

The answer to teşekkür ederim... is - bir şey değil - It is not a thing - or - rica ederim - I request..! - [same as "bitte schön" in German]
Also used is - ne demek? - what does it mean?. This expression - ne demek? - sounds quite comical in English. But it actually means something like: - It doesn't matter at all..
The answer - Rica ederim - is the politest one.
The recipient of your gratitude will often answer your - sağ olun - with the rejoinder - sana sağ olun - health to you (too).. Other Versions are:
sağ ol - familiar
sağ olunuz - public and plural
A simple - teşekkürler.. also means a very informal - thanks.. and is used in shops and for small duties performed.

A little "caveat" - or - "take care.."

Many people when first learning Turkish are tempted to use the Present Continuous Tense form - teşekkür ediyorum... - we would advise you that this form sounds quite comical to the Turkish ear and can also be construed as being sarcastic, so one should always use the Present Simple form - teşekkür ederim... - and you will not go wrong or be misunderstood.