How to say Happy Valentine's Day in Turkish

This one is tricky.

Valentine's Day is a relative newcomer to Turkey. It was popularized by the men's magazine Erkekçe in the mid-80s. Turks know Valentine's Day by the name Sevgililer Günü which literally means Lovers Day.

That is, while the origins of the holiday in the West are traced back to a Christian martyr, in Turkey, the holiday exists solely in a romantic context.

U.S. greeting card manufacturers offer Valentine's Day cards for Grandparents and kids and all sorts of potential recipients. You just can't do that sort of thing in Turkey. Before you even think about saying Sevgililer Günün Kutlu Olsun to a Turk, you better make sure there is indeed a romantic relationship between you and the recipient. If the intended recipient is a woman, you also better make sure that the greeting is not going to be taken as a sign you think that she is easy.

A variation that sounds somewhat sweeter is Sevgililer Günümüz Kutlu Olsun which literally translates as may our Lovers' Day be happy. That is, instead of wishing that your partner have a happy Valentine's Day, you are wishing one for both of you together. All the same precautions about being on the same page regarding this newly fashionable special day in Turkey apply here as well.

See also How to say I love you in Turkish.