How to Learn Basic Turkish

A Turkish clay pot is shown.

Turkish is -a phonetic language spoken in the country of Turkey. While the pronunciation of words and phrases is simple, the context of the language is more complex. From daily phrases to hospitality rituals, Turkish is a language rich with heritage.

Things You'll Need

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Instructions

1. Learn the Turkish alphabet. Turkish is a phonetic language. This means that the words are pronounced exactly as they are spelled. Go to www.onlineturkish.com to view the alphabet and the pronunciation of each letter. Consider printing out the page and keeping it as a reference while learning basic Turkish words and phrases.

2. Get an audio program to better hear the pronunciations. Companies such as Rosetta Stone offer basic Turkish software for free. Go to www.rosettastone.com to order a free disk. The disk will contain some basic phrases and words that will provide the user a means of gauging pronunciation.

3. Learn the basic words and phrases in Turkish. Visit Turkey Travel Planner online to learn some basic and essential words and phrases in Turkish (see Resources). Remember to refer back to your pronunciation guide while learning the words and if necessary, use an audio program to listen to the pronunciation.

4. Learn contextual phrases. As in other languages, Turkish has particular phrases it is essential to use to avoid sounding rude or offensive. For example, when someone is ill, it is polite to say "offiet olsun." In English this roughly translates to "May your illness pass quickly." An appropriate American interpretation would be "Get well soon."

5. Pick up a conversational dictionary. Dictionaries are available at major bookstores such as Borders or online. A conversational dictionary will ensure that forgotten phrases are right at your fingertips while traveling.

6. Go to Turkey. The best way to learn this language is immersion. Consider a vacation to Turkey as a wonderful learning opportunity. If possible, stay with a local family or an American family who has been living in Turkey for some years for a total immersion experience.

References

• Steven White, Resident Izmir, Turkey, 14 years.

Resources

• Turkish Alphabet
• 100 Most Useful Words in Turkish