How to practice your Turkish language

Date: November 21, 2024

Posted By: Ali AKPINAR

Learn how to practice your Turkish language yourself or with Dem Turkish Center!

Practicing Turkish effectively involves a mix of active engagement, exposure, and practical application. Here’s a detailed guide to help you develop all aspects of your Turkish proficiency:

Become a DTC member and get the full access to the Dem Turkish Center bookstore + online help / support from your Turkish teacher - for 1 year!

1. SPEAK TURKISH REGULARLY

Find Turkish Language Partners

Language Exchange Partner with native Turkish speakers who want to learn your language. Use platforms like Tandem, HelloTalk, Italki (connects you with professional tutors or language partners).
Meetups Join Turkish language meetups in your area or online.

Practice Daily Situational Conversations

Focus on practical scenarios sucah as ordering food (Bir çay alabilir miyim? Can I have a tea?), asking for directions (Kütüphane nerede? Where is the library?), shopping phrases (Bu ne kadar? How much is this?), etc.

Take casual Turkish conversation practice classes online!

Shadowing Technique

Listen to Turkish audio (movies, podcasts, dialogues) and repeat what you hear to mimic pronunciation and intonation.

Download Turkish Speaking Practice Course 1 A1 and study yourself offline!

Download Turkish Speaking Practice Course 2 A2 and study yourself offline!

Download Turkish Speaking Practice Course 3 PI (Pre-intermediate and study yourself offline!

Download Turkish Speaking Practice Course 4 B1 and study yourself offline!

2. ENHANCE TURKISH LISTENING SKILLS

Watch Turkish Media

TV Shows & Movies Watch Turkish series like "Diriliş: Ertuğrul", "Leyla ile Mecnun", or comedies like "Güldür Güldür Show". Start with subtitles in your native language, then transition to Turkish subtitles.
YouTube Channels Kafalar, Bilgi Şeysi, or vloggers who speak clear and colloquial Turkish.

Turkish Podcasts

Listen to podcasts like SBS Turkish or Turkish Coffee Podcast for authentic, conversational Turkish.

Turkish Music

Explore Turkish pop (Tarkan, Sezen Aksu) or folk songs. Sing along to improve rhythm and pronunciation.

Download Turkish language learning materials with audios!

3. READ TURKISH DAILY

Start Simple

Children’s books or comics are great for beginners due to simple vocabulary and visuals.

Gradually Progress

Move on to newspapers like "Hürriyet" or "Milliyet". Start with sections you enjoy, such as sports or lifestyle. Read novels like:

Beginner "Nasreddin Hoca Fıkraları"* (humorous tales).
Intermediate "Saatleri Ayarlama Enstitüsü" by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar.
Advanced "Kürk Mantolu Madonna" by Sabahattin Ali.

Use Graded Turkish Readers

Find books written for learners, focusing on your proficiency level, such as A1–C1 graded texts.

Download Turkish Reading Practice Course 1 A1 and study graded Turkish easy reading lessons!

Download Turkish Reading Practice Course 2 A2 and study graded Turkish easy reading lessons!

Download Turkish Reading Practice Course 3 PI (Pre-intermediate) and study graded Turkish easy reading lessons!

Download Turkish Reading Practice Course 4 B1 and study graded Turkish easy reading lessons!

4. WRITE IN TURKISH FREQUENTLY

Maintain a Journal Write a daily journal in Turkish. Start with simple sentences like "Bugün hava çok güzel. Okula gittim ve kahve içtim." (Today the weather is very nice. I went to school and drank coffee.). Progress to more detailed descriptions.
Online Forums and Groups Participate in Turkish forums, Facebook groups, or Reddit. Respond to posts or ask questions in Turkish.
Correspond with Pen Pals Use websites like "Interpals", "MyLanguageExchange". Exchange letters or emails with native speakers.
Use Writing Tools Use apps like "LangCorrect" or "HiNative" to get feedback on your writing from native speakers.

Improve your Turkish with Turkish Writing (Letter / Text Correction) Lessons A1!

Improve your Turkish with Turkish Writing (Letter / Text Correction) Lessons A2!

5. BUILD TURKISH VOCABULARY

Learn Daily Use flashcard apps like "Anki", "Memrise", or "Quizlet". Group words by theme (e.g., food, transportation, emotions) and learn related verbs and adjectives.
Practice Turkish Suffixes Focus on agglutination, a key feature of Turkish. Root - git (go) Variations - gitti (he/she/it went), gidecek (he/she/it will go), gitmeyecek (he/she/it will not go).
Learn Turkish Idioms and Phrases Turkish has many idiomatic expressions. For example: Can kulağıyla dinlemek (to listen attentively, literally "listen with the ear of the soul").

6. USE TURKISH LANGUAGE APPS

Turkish-Specific Apps

Duolingo Great for beginners, with gamified lessons.
LingQ Offers extensive Turkish reading and listening practice with vocabulary tools.
Mondly Focuses on conversation and grammar basics.

Turkish Speaking Practice Apps

Speechling Provides speaking and feedback.
Pimsleur Focuses on auditory learning and speaking.

7. IMMERSE YOURSELF

Travel to Turkey

Spend time in Turkish-speaking regions to practice real-life conversations and cultural immersion.

Try to use Turkish exclusively when shopping, eating out, or asking for directions.

Create a Turkish Environment at Home

Change the language on your phone and apps to Turkish.

Label objects around your house with their Turkish names (e.g., "kapı" for door, "pencere" for window).

8. PLAY GAMES IN TURKISH

Language Learning Games Apps like Drops or Memrise turn vocabulary learning into games. Try crossword puzzles or word search games in Turkish.
Video Games Play story-based video games with Turkish subtitles or dub.

9. TEST YOURSELF

Take Language Tests Assess your level with tools like CEFR tests for Turkish. This helps identify areas for improvement.
Use Online Quizzes Websites like "Busuu" offer mini-tests and quizzes to reinforce learning.
Set Challenges Challenge yourself to hold a 10-minute conversation. Read a short story and summarize it. Write a paragraph daily without translation tools.

Test your Turkish with Turkish tests / quizzes (A1 & A2)!

10. BE CONSISTENT

Set Goals For example, learn 10 new words daily or speak for 15 minutes.
Track Progress Maintain a notebook to log words learned, texts read, or phrases practiced.
Review Regularly Revisit previous lessons to reinforce learning and prevent forgetting.