Türkçe
/ˈtyɾc.t͡ʃe/
The phrase for 'turkish language' in Turkish is Türkçe.
Which one should you use?
You should use Türk when referring to a person of Turkish ethnicity, whereas Türkçe is used specifically to refer to the language.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name of the language is formed by adding the suffix -ce to the ethnonym Türk (Turk).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The pronunciation is /ˈtyɾc.tʃe/. The sound /ɾ/ is like the [t] in the American English word 'atom', /c/ is like the [k] in 'skew' and /tʃ/ is like the [ch] in 'change'.
Did you know?
- In the Ottoman era, the written form of Türkçe used the Arabic script, but in 1928, the alphabet was abruptly changed to the Latin script to modernize the language.
- In the Republic of Turkey, the term Türk used to form Türkçe is a legal civic identity that includes all citizens regardless of their ethnic background.
- While the name of the language is Türkçe, you can turn almost any person's name into a language or dialect by adding the same -ce suffix. For example, a person named 'Ali' would speak 'Aliçe' if you were describing their specific way of talking.
Examples in context
- Türkçe öğrenmek istiyorum.I want to learn Turkish.
- Türkçe çok güzel bir dil.Turkish is a very beautiful language.
- Türkçe konuşabiliyor musun?Can you speak Turkish?
Example conversation
Merve and Can are talking about their language skills.
- MerveCan, Türkçe biliyor musun?Can, do you know Turkish?
- CanEvet, Türkçe benim ana dilim.Yes, Turkish is my native language.
- MerveHarika! Bana Türkçe öğretir misin?Great! Will you teach me Turkish?
- CanTabii ki, memnuniyetle öğretirim.Of course, I would be happy to teach you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Türkçe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
