[el-ee-nee-ze sah-lik] int. F/P
It’s really beautiful/good/nice, the food is great, compliments to the chef
DT: health to your hands
This is something that Turkish speakers likely use on a daily basis. If you’re at dinner, and the food tastes delicious, in addition to saying “çok güzel olmuş” to tell that to the chef, you use this expression. It’s mostly used for food, but can also be used when someone has finished preparing anything for you – for example, someone knitted a sweater, or painted a room, or even fixed your computer. You’re thanking them for their labor, or possibly just complimenting them if the labor is not intended for you. It’s usually said after a few bites or at the end of a meal, or just a “elinize sağlık” as soon as the food is served.
So what’s the difference between çok güzel olmuş and elinize/eline sağlık? Çok güzel olmuş and elinize/eline sağlık are both about complimenting, but elinize/eline sağlık is also a ‘thank you’ if it has been made for you. If your friend is showing you a table she made for her cousin, you can say eline sağlık and/or çok güzel olmuş to compliment her. If she made it for you, you should definitely say both – or if you don’t say eline sağlık, you can say thank you.
Still confused and curious? Check out our blog on çok güzel’s here.
