Learn Turkish: Selam! Sen kimsin?

In Turkish, "to be" (am, is, are) is often expressed as a suffix attached directly to the end of a word. Kim means "who," and the suffix -sin means "you are" (for a single person). So, kimsin literally translates to "who-are-you".

If kimsin already means "who are you", do we need to say Sen?

Not strictly! Turkish is a language that frequently drops subject words like "I" or "you" because the ending (like the -sin in kimsin) already tells us who is involved. Including Sen (you) here just adds a bit of emphasis, similar to asking "Who are you?".

How is Selam different from Merhaba?

Both are used to say hello, but Selam is more casual, much like "Hi" in English. You will hear it often among friends, family, or younger people. Merhaba is a bit more standard and polite, making it a safer choice for people you don't know well.

Can I say Sen kimsin? when meeting a stranger?

You should be careful with this! Because sen is the informal "you," asking Sen kimsin? to a stranger can sound rude or challenging, a bit like "Who do you think you are?". If you need to ask a stranger who they are, it is much more polite to use the formal "you" and ask Siz kimsiniz?.