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Introduction
Bekar mısın? (Are you single?)
Bakar mısın? (“Excuse me?” or “Can you look?”)
These two interrogative sentences are one of the most wrongly used sentences by students learning Turkish. Depending on the context, the latter can be a request and not an interrogative sentence. Looking at these two sentences, you are already wondering what learning Turkish might look like. However, the real fun starts when you mix up words. For example, Çorba (soup) with Çarpa (crash) or the verb Küsmek (to be vexed) with Kusmak (to vomit). These are a lot to take in at first, right? Not as difficult as you think because in this blog, I am going to highlight practical tips for learning Turkish effectively.
Turkish Language
Turkish {Türkçe} is a member of the Turkic language family and the official and the commonly spoken language in the Republic of Türkiye. It is an agglutinative language, meaning that suffixes are added to root words to convey various grammatical meanings. For example, a word like evimizdeyiz is constructed by adding suffixes ev/imiz/de/yiz and it is an actual sentence in English “we are in our house.” Turkish has vowel harmony, a feature that affects how vowels are combined within a word. The language uses the Latin alphabet, with some special characters such as “ç,” “ı,” “ğ,” and “ş.” Historically, Turkish was written in the Arabic script but switched to the Latin script in 1928 as part of modernization efforts. Turkish vocabulary is influenced by Arabic, French, Persian, and Italian, but its structure remains unique to the Turkic family.
So, how can I overcome these challenges and perfect my Turkish? Below are practical tips to learning Turkish effectively:
Have the Desire to Learn
To do anything or learn anything, you must first have the desire to do so, and the same applies to learning Turkish. Learning a new language is a tedious journey, especially learning one from a different language family from your native language, and without that inner drive, you will not have what it takes to go far in this journey. When you have a desire to achieve something, it gives you the motivation to keep going no matter what. Consider the desire you have to get that degree; it keeps you going no matter what. So, the first step to mastering Turkish is having the desire to learn Turkish.
Immerse Yourself in the Language’s Environment
One common mistake students learning Turkish often make is isolating themselves from the social environment of the language they are trying to learn. This often come in the form of students shying away from social activities, maintaining a daily routine of moving from school to dorm/apartment, and keeping to your Nigerian or fellow international student friends. Socializing and getting involved in the activities within your vicinity is a good way of learning. People learn a new language by just interacting with people, and I believe that that is how you might have learnt one of the native languages in Nigeria. Attending programs, seminars, and concerts are good ways you can learn fast. Socializing allows you to put into use what you are learning in the classroom. A simple “Hello, how much is the ticket? ” or “where is the restroom?” is a good way to practice. Every interaction helps solidify your language skills and builds your confidence.
Always Practice
The popular saying that practice makes perfect is true when it comes to language learning. You need to ensure constant practice both in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Join language clubs, participate in discussions, and seek out opportunities to use the Turkish in your daily activities. Fortunately, most schools organize speaking clubs and there is the YTB’s speaking club for each level (A1 – C2 level). It is important not to shy away from participating in these speaking clubs. Do not be afraid of making mistakes because making mistakes is part of the journey. Online resources are only helpful to build grammar and vocabulary. However, practicing with friends improves fluency and builds confidence.
Opt for In-Person Shopping Over Online
Until fluency is achieved, when possible, do your shopping in person. Negotiating prices and interacting with sellers forces you to think quickly in Turkish and enhances your ability to understand and use everyday terms. Negotiating is a good way to improve on counting. But always double check with your calculators.
Leverage Entertainment for Learning
This is one of the best ways of learning any language, not just Turkish. “Play is the highest form of research.” — Albert Einstein. Incorporate fun into your learning by watching movies, listening to music, and reading simple books. Engaging with content you enjoy can greatly improve your language skills while keeping you entertained. You can access very good quality Turkish movies on YouTube, and you can also benefit from the version of the Turkish streaming platform Tabii.
Focus on Personal Growth, Not Just Test Scores
This applies to those learning Turkish in a university or any other formal environment. While test scores are important, they aren’t the ultimate measure of your language proficiency. Instead, focus on continuous self-improvement, which will serve you far better in real-life situations than any exam result. Focusing more on personal improvement will help you work more on your language skills than going after test scores.
Understand the Role of Natural Ability
This is not necessarily a step in mastering the Turkish language but an advice. It is important to understand that some people have the natural ability of picking up a new language faster, knowing this is essential for you not to be discouraged when it feels as if you are not at the same pace with colleagues and if you are a fast in picking up a new language, it translates that you will have to devote more time than others.
Native/First Language Proficiency
Research has shown that being proficient in one’s first language sets a solid foundation to learn a new language. Problem arises when you cannot identify nouns, adjectives, adverbs, predicates, active and passive voice, etc, in your language, it will be difficult to understand these in Turkish too. While learning a new language, we often translate from our first language to the language we are learning. Think about a situation where you do not know grammar rules in your language, it means that you are not just going to learn Turkish, but you are also going to learn the difference between a subject and an object of a sentence, which means double work. Perhaps before registering for a Turkish language course, it will be of benefit to review your first language skill.
N/B: If you are looking for how to improve their Turkish language skill at a minimal cost, the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü YouTube channel is a great free resource. It offers language lessons, cultural insights, and practical tips to help you master Turkish at your own pace. Check it out here: Yunus Emre Enstitüsü YouTube Channel
Summary
Learning Turkish is not just about communication or getting your degree here in Türkiye; it’s about connection. It opens the doors to Türkiye’s rich culture, traditions, and people. Whether it is navigating a market, making friends or even understanding Turkish jokes, every step brings you closer to feeling at home. Do not forget the popular saying by Nelson Mandela “when you speak to a man in a language he understands, it goes into his head but when you speak to him in his language it goes into his heart.”
So, is learning Turkish challenging? Yes. But is it worth it? Definitely. With patience, practice, and a bit of courage, you will not only learn a new language but also gain a new perspective because “a different language is a different vision of life” – Federico Fellini
Kolay gelsin!!!
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