The easiest way to learn Turkish is to learn the Turkish alphabet, and then read and listen to short, easy Turkish about things you already like, checking the translation when you need it. Leave tables of word endings and long word lists for later, because easy Turkish keeps showing you the most common words and endings. Below are the first steps in order, and some easy Turkish to start with.
Is Turkish Easy to Learn?
Turkish is easy to start, and it takes a long time to learn well. The alphabet takes a few short sessions, while the words and their endings take much longer, and the U.S. Foreign Service Institute puts Turkish in the third of its four groups for English speakers. Our guide to the fastest way shows how long it takes.
Three things make the start easier than it looks.
- A Familiar AlphabetTurkish uses 29 Latin letters, and only six of them, ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş and ü, are new to English readers.
- Words Spelled the Way They SoundTurkish spelling is very regular, so once you know the letters, you can say almost any word you read.
- No Gender to LearnTurkish nouns have no gender, and one short word, o, means he, she and it.
What Is the Easiest Way to Start?
The easiest way to start is to learn the letters, then spend your time on short Turkish you enjoy, one small step at a time.
- Learn the Alphabet FirstLearn the six new letters and the familiar ones with new sounds in two short chapters of Bubblegum's free Turkish Alphabet course.
- Read About What You LoveRead short dialogues about food, music, or anything else you already enjoy.
- Listen While You ReadPlay the audio as you read, so each word's sound and spelling go together.
- Hide the TranslationKeep the English hidden, and check it only when a line stops you.
- Save a Few WordsSave only the few words you want to keep from each lesson.
- Say a Line Out LoudRead a line aloud whenever it feels fun, like Merhaba (hello) or Teşekkür ederim (thank you).
Bubblegum is a language app for reading and listening to Turkish at your level, with lessons that Poppy, its AI tutor, writes about the things you like. Words you save come back inside new lessons through Regenerative Review™, so reviewing them means reading more Turkish.
What Makes Turkish Feel Hard, and How Can You Make It Easier?
Four parts of Turkish feel hard at first, and each one gets easier when you meet it again and again in easy Turkish.
| What feels hard | The easy fix |
|---|---|
| Long words made of endings | Find the root at the start of the word, then read the endings one at a time, as in ev (house), evler (houses) and evlerde (in the houses). Easy reading shows you the same few endings many times. |
| Endings that change their vowel | An ending matches the vowels of the word it joins, so "at home" is evde and "in the car" is arabada. You learn which form goes where by seeing each one in sentences. |
| The verb at the end of the sentence | Short lines like Ben çay içiyorum (I'm drinking tea) put the verb last, and after many of them the order starts to feel normal. |
| Fast speech in dramas | Listen to slow, clear audio made for learners first. Words you already know are much easier to catch in fast speech. |
What Is Easy Turkish to Start With?
Easy Turkish to start with is short and slow, and it is about something you enjoy.
| What | Why it's easy | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Lessons about greetings and cafes | Level 1, Bubblegum's easiest level, uses short lines with audio and a translation. | Free on this site |
| Super Easy Turkish | Videos from Easy Turkish use simple words and show Turkish and English subtitles. | youtube.com/@EasyTurkish |
| Türkçe Lingua | Stories about Emre and Elif in Istanbul are told in simple Turkish for levels A1 and A2. | youtube.com/@turkcelingua |
| Short Stories in Turkish for Beginners | Short stories for levels A2 and B1 come with an audiobook, once you know some words. | hachette.com.au |
If a new word shows up in almost every line, switch to something easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest way to learn the Turkish alphabet?
Learn the six new letters first, then the familiar letters that make a different sound, like c, which sounds like the j in jam. Bubblegum's free Turkish Alphabet course works this way in your browser, and you can tap each example word to hear it.
Can I learn Turkish just by watching Turkish dramas?
Not at the start, because most of an episode goes by too fast for a beginner to learn from. Dramas help more once you can follow a simple conversation, especially with Turkish subtitles on. An episode often runs 120 to 150 minutes, so watch it in shorter parts.
Which Turkish app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning Turkish, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. For courses, tutors and speaking practice, see our comparison of Turkish apps.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
The Turkish Alphabet course and the Turkish lessons on this site are also free and need no account.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Turkish alphabet (29 letters; spelling closely follows pronunciation; c sounds like the j in jam)
- U.S. Department of State, Foreign Language Training (FSI language categories)
- Wikipedia, Turkish grammar (no grammatical gender; o means he, she and it)
- Wikipedia, Turkish television drama (episodes of 120 to 150 minutes)
