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Questions & Answers about Tamam, hoşça kal!
What is the literal meaning of "hoşça kal"?
Literally, it means "stay pleasantly." It is made up of hoş (pleasant or nice), the suffix -ça (which makes it an adverb, "pleasantly"), and kal (the informal command "stay").
Can I say "hoşça kal" to anyone when saying goodbye?
In Turkish, the person leaving and the person staying say different things! Hoşça kal is said by the person who is leaving. The person who is staying behind replies with güle güle (literally, "go smilingly").
Is "hoşça kal" used in formal situations?
This specific phrase is informal, used with one person you know well, because kal is the informal "you" command. For formal situations or when speaking to multiple people, you should say hoşça kalın.
Does "tamam" just mean "okay"?
In everyday conversations, it is used exactly like "okay" or "alright." However, its root meaning is "complete" or "done," so you will also hear it when someone finishes a task.