Is Turkish difficult to learn? What are some important tips for a better learning experience? How long does it take to speak Turkish fluently?
These are some of the most frequently asked questions by many people who are interested in learning Turkish.
The answer to the first question is a clear “no”. The Turkish language is definitely not difficult, but it is different. It comes from a different language family and thus, has a different grammar structure and vocabulary. But, on the bright side, Turkish is phonetic and regular. Its grammar is formulaic and extremely logical. Hence, all you need is the right approach. Once you grasp the logic that Turkish is all about, learning Turkish becomes easy and a lot of fun.
Indeed, Turkish is easier to learn than most non-western languages, including but not limited to Russian, Arabic, and Chinese. It also takes a shorter time to learn Turkish than most non-western languages.
“Turkish is different than Latin and Germanic languages. But, fortunately it is regular and extremely logical. Hence, deciphering its logic and understanding its structure are the crucial first steps to make the learning process easier and faster”
Why isn't Turkish difficult to learn?
- Turkish grammar is extremely logical and regular. There are almost no irregularities. It is formulaic. Thus, learning Turkish is like putting Lego pieces together. Once you learn the suffixes and the rules well, you can predict the rest and keep building. Similarly, you can also deconstruct words very easily. Everything is incredibly logical and straightforward. It is not like in English, where one has to simply keep memorizing the irregularities, because they don't fit any grammar rules.
- Turkish language uses the Latin alphabet and it is phonetic. In other words, you pronounce Turkish words exactly the same as you write them. So, the first step in learning Turkish should be learning the alphabet and the sounds correctly. Once you learn them well, you can start reading and pronouncing every single word as good as a native Turkish speaker does. It is all easy and straightforward.
- Turkish is a member of the Turkic language family and thus, it has a different grammar structure than that of the Latin and Germanic languages, such as English, Spanish, and French. However, the good news is that Turkish has about 6,000 loanwords from French, English and Latin, and this number exceeds 10,000 when the loanwords from Arabic and Farsi are also included. Accordingly, speakers of any of these languages will clearly have an easier time with learning Turkish.
- Genders and the specific article "the" do not exist in Turkish. As a result, there is only one version of each word, which makes it less confusing and easier to learn and memorize.
“Learning Turkish becomes easy and straightforward with the right strategy.”
The challenges of learning Turkish
- Turkish is an agglutinative language with a somewhat similar structure to Japanese and Korean in Asia, and Finnish and Hungarian in Europe. It has a different structure than that of the Latin and Germanic languages, such as English, Spanish, and French. Thus, native speakers of mainly these languages may have a relatively harder time with learning Turkish in the beginning. But, this usually changes over time once they figure out the clear and the straightforward logic of the Turkish language. In contrast, native speakers of other languages, including but not limited to Russian, Arabic and Japanese, usually have an easier time with learning Turkish.
- The verb is placed at the end of the sentence in the Turkish word order. Since the verb carries the most weight in a sentence in Turkish grammar, one cannot fully understand the full meaning before the sentence is over. Consequently, this just means more work for the brain as the person needs to keep the whole sentence in his or her mind and then revise it again when it is over. Research showed that native Turkish speakers' brains perform a two-step process to understand a sentence compared to a single-step process in languages like English and German. But this whole process takes only a tiny fraction of a second in the brain and although it may seem like a challenge in the beginning, it does not usually take a long time to get used to with practice.
“Indeed, learning Turkish is much easier than learning many other non-western languages such as, Arabic, Russian, and Chinese”
Tips for a better Turkish learning experience
1. Take an interactive live class
Turkish has a different logic and structure. Thus, the language learning softwares that are designed to teach western languages are not effective in learning Turkish. However, you can use these softwares as well as language apps as a learning aid rather than your primary resource.
Also, self-discipline and persistence are key success factors in language learning, and being part of a class will be very helpful in that regard.
2. Get a good teacher
Because Turkish comes from a different language family, your teacher matters more than ever.
Unfortunately, most language teachers only copy each other and they don’t bring anything new to the table. Thus, finding a teacher who does a lot more than just following a textbook is crucial.
A good Turkish language teacher not only needs to have a lot of empathy, but he should also be able to think out-of-the-box and have outstanding communication and language skills. So that he can explain the differences and the logic of the Turkish language in the best way possible. Moreover, he should have an effective strategy, which is the key to success in learning any foreign language.
3. Have an effective strategy
Unfortunately, most people fail at language learning because they don’t have a strategy. Thus, you need to come up with an effective strategy and hold onto it until the very end. If you are new at language learning, you can find a teacher who has an effective strategy and can guide you.
4. Decipher how Turkish works
We all tend to see the world tilted with our native language default settings. Thus, do not try to understand Turkish through your native language lens. See it as it is.
Although different, Turkish has a great logic and once you decipher it, learning Turkish becomes easy and straightforward.
5. Master the alphabet first
Turkish is phonetic. That means it is pronounced the way it is written. Thus, mastering the alphabet as your first step is of utmost importance, while learning Turkish. Once you learn the Turkish sounds well, you can pronounce every single word as good as a native speaker does.
6. Focus on your speaking and listening skills
Grammar is important, but don’t get bogged down in it. Use your energy efficiently and focus mainly on building your speaking and listening skills.
Working on your speaking skills is not easy. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Get out of your comfort zone and learn to embrace your mistakes. Be persistent. If you can’t find anyone to practice with, just talk to yourself out loud. It works wonders.
Keep in mind that the most effective way to learn a language for an adult learner is by speaking it.
7. Don’t be a perfectionist
Being a perfectionist requires extra work. Considering the fact that learning a new language is already challenging enough, do not make it even worse by getting bogged down with too much fine detail. Keep your sentences simple and use your energy more efficiently. Your main goal should be to communicate well.
“Finding an interactive live class with a good teacher who has an effective strategy is a crucial first step in learning Turkish the right and easy way.”
How long does it take to speak Turkish fluently?
This totally depends on the student’s commitment and the circumstances. For example, college students that go to Turkey on student exchange programs take intensive Turkish classes in their schools and they usually start speaking Turkish fluently within their first six months of arriving in the country. This is simply the power of immersion.
However, if the student is outside of Turkey and is taking a Turkish class only once or twice a week, it may take about two years to get fluent in the language. Of course, this time may be shorter or longer depending on the student’s age, native language, and time commitment to learning the language in and outside of the classroom.
“Many foreign exchange students get fluent in Turkish within six months of arriving in Turkey, thanks to immersion”
There are many reasons to learn Turkish and the NYC Turkish Club is committed to offering the best language education to our students with our unique teaching methodology at the lowest price. You can check our homepage for more information on our Turkish classes in New York. We also offer conversation-focused and highly interactive online classes that you can take from anywhere in the world.