Learn Turkish: İyi ki eve sağ salim döndün. - Fortunately you returned home safe and sound.

İyi ki means 'fortunately' or 'it is a good thing that'. The great thing about this marker is that it does not require any complicated subordinate verb forms. It just pairs perfectly with a standard, finite verb like the simple past tense döndün (you returned).

What is the exact meaning of the phrase sağ salim?

It is a fixed expression that translates perfectly to 'safe and sound'. Both words have similar meanings: sağ means 'alive' or 'healthy', and salim means 'safe' or 'secure'. Turkish frequently pairs two similar words together like this for emphasis.

The English translation just says 'home', so why does the Turkish use the dative case eve?

In English, we say 'return home' without a preposition. But in Turkish, the verb dönmek (to return) always requires the dative case -(y)e/-(y)a to indicate the destination you are moving toward. So ev (home) takes the dative suffix to become eve (to home).

Can I change the word order and put iyi ki somewhere else, like right before the verb?

While Turkish word order is usually very flexible, iyi ki almost always stays at the very beginning of the clause. It acts as an evaluative marker that establishes a relieved or happy tone for the entire thought that follows it.