Breakdown of Hoşça kal! Güle güle!
hoşça kal
goodbye (said by the one leaving)
güle güle
goodbye (said by the one staying)
Questions & Answers about Hoşça kal! Güle güle!
Why are there two different phrases for "goodbye" in this sentence?
In Turkish, goodbyes often depend on who is leaving and who is staying. The person who is leaving says hoşça kal, and the person who is staying behind replies with güle güle.
What does hoşça kal literally mean?
It translates to "stay well" or "stay pleasantly." Hoşça means "pleasantly" and kal is the command form of the verb kalmak (to stay). It makes perfect sense when you remember that the person leaving says this to the person staying!
And what is the literal meaning of güle güle?
It literally means "smilingly, smilingly." It comes from the verb gülmek (to laugh or smile). By saying this, the person staying behind is wishing the departing person a happy journey.
What if both people are leaving at the same time?
If you are parting ways and neither of you is staying behind, Turks usually don't use either of these! Instead, they say things like görüşürüz (see you) or iyi günler (have a good day).
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