Turkish is the official language of Turkey, spoken by 90 million people worldwide. It belongs to the Ural-Altaic language family and uses the Latin alphabet. The basic word order of the Turkish language is subject–object–verb.
Why Learn Turkish?
Knowing Turkish will enhance your experience and lead you to meet friendly locals. As you communicate in Turkish, you'll likely receive warm smiles and appreciation from the people you talk to. Embracing the language of the place you are visiting opens doors to cultural exchanges, unforgettable moments, and a deeper connection with the heart of Turkey.
Although most people in tourist destinations speak English, it is essential to know some Turkish to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Simple phrases such as Merhaba (Hello) and Nasılsın (How are you?) can go a long way in creating positive connections with locals.
Tips for Learning Turkish
While it seems difficult, the Turkish language is easier to learn than it sounds; the biggest advantage is the Latin alphabet. Plus, if you are a tourist in Turkey, you don't need to learn any complicated sentences or words. Just remember the following phrases, and you will be fine.
| Turkish Lesson 1, Hello! Here are your first ten words of Turkish. You can learn them in just a few minutes today and you'll use them every day—several times—during your travels in Turkey: | ||||
| 1 | Hello. | Merhaba. | Merhaba, nasılsın? | Hello. How are you? |
| 2 | Welcome! | Hoşgeldin! | Hoşgeldin! Lütfen otur. | Welcome! Please take a seat. |
| 3 | Good morning. | Günaydın. | Günaydın.Bugün hava harika gözüküyor! | Good morning. The weather looks great today! |
| 4 | How are you? | Nasılsın? | Nasılsın? Bugün ne yapacaksın? | How are you? What are you going to do today? |
| 5 | What is your name? | Adın ne? | Merhaba, senin adın ne? | Hello, what is your name? |
| 6 | My name is… | Adım… | Benim adım Ayşe. Ya sen? | My name is Ayşe. What about you? |
| 7 | Nice to meet you. | Tanıştığıma memnun oldum. | Ben de tanıştığımıza memnun oldum. | Nice to meet you, too. |
| 8 | I’m fine, thank you. | İyiyim, teşekkürler. | İyiyim, teşekkürler. Seni sormalı? | I’m fine, thank you. What about you? |
| 9 | Where are you from? | Nerelisin? | Nerelisin? Ben İngiltereliyim. | Where are you from?
I’m from England. |
| 10 | See you later. | Görüşürüz. | Görüşürüz. Bugün eğlenceliydi! | See you later. Today was fun! |
-by Tom Brosnahan, updated by Duru Nemutlu
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