What is a common mistake with “Ellerine sağlık”?

✗ Ellerinize sağlık (to a waiter who only served) → ✓ Teşekkürler: The phrase praises the person who made the food.

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How to say “Health to your hands” in Turkish

Q: How is “Ellerine sağlık” used in a conversation?

Ali: Yemek harikaydı, ellerine sağlık anne! (The food was amazing, thanks mom!) Anne: Afiyet olsun oğlum. (Enjoy, son.)

Ellerine sağlık!

ehl·leh·ree·neh sah·luhk

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Meaning: Health to your hands! (thanks for the food)
Pronunciation: ehl·leh·ree·neh sah·luhk

What “Ellerine sağlık” really means

Ellerine sağlık means "Health to your hands", the thank-you for someone who cooked, served or made something with their hands. It is the expected compliment after a home-cooked meal. Polite: "Ellerinize sağlık".

💬 Example dialogues

AliYemek harikaydı, ellerine sağlık anne!The food was amazing, thanks mom!

AnneAfiyet olsun oğlum.Enjoy, son.

MisafirEllerinize sağlık, çok güzel olmuş.Health to your hands, it turned out great.

Ev sahibiAfiyet olsun, yine bekleriz.Enjoy, come again.

🚫 When NOT to use it

Not for a restaurant waiter who did not cook; "Teşekkürler" is enough there. For a nice speech or song, use "Ağzına sağlık" instead.

🇹🇷 Culture note

You can also say it to someone who fixed your bike, knitted a scarf or made tea. Turkish moms will absolutely notice if you forget it.

⚠️ Common mistakes

✗ Ellerinize sağlık (to a waiter who only served) → ✓ TeşekkürlerThe phrase praises the person who made the food.

Culture tip

Turkish has magic words for everyday moments: say Kolay gelsin to anyone working and Ellerine sağlık to anyone who cooked for you.

Letters to watch in this sentence

Ğ ğ silent: makes the vowel before it long (dağ = daa)
I ı no dot: a relaxed “uh”, like the e in “open”
İ i like ee in “see”