How to say ‘welcome’ in Turkish
Hoş geldiniz
Pronunciation: hosh gel-di-NIZ
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable.
Hoş geldiniz! Çay?
Welcome! Tea?
When you’ll use it
Shops, homes, even airplanes. Literally ‘you came well’.
Greetings Through the Day
Turks greet warmly and often — the bakery, the bus, the neighbor on the stairs. Knowing the right greeting for the right moment instantly makes you belong.
Hear it in a real exchange
Dinner at Elif’s Family Home. Emma arrives at her friend Elif’s family home with a small box of chocolates. Elif’s mother opens the door; three generations wait inside.
- Elif’s mom
Hoş geldiniz! Buyurun, buyurun!
Welcome! Come in, come in!
- Emma
Hoş bulduk! Bu sizin için.
Glad to be here! This is for you.
Misafir Rules, Decoded
Shoes come off at the door — slippers (terlik) will materialize before you finish untying. Never arrive empty-handed: flowers, chocolates or dessert. Accept the first çay always; refills are endless until you lay your spoon flat across the top of the glass — the wordless, grandmother-approved signal for ‘I’m truly done, thank you.’ And when you leave, ‘Yine bekleriz!’ isn’t politeness — it’s a verdict. You’re family now.
Learn it in LaleFrom one phrase to real conversations
In Lale, Hoş geldiniz is part of a full lesson with listening, speaking and review. Free to start.
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