If you usually read Arabic, switch direction when you reach Turkish text. This lesson practises written words; the alphabet page covers the sounds.
The idea
Turkish uses Latin letters and runs from left to right, even inside an Arabic paragraph. Ordinary Arabic often leaves short-vowel marks unwritten; Turkish writes vowels as letters within the word. In kitap, keep both i and a. Read each Turkish word in its own direction before returning to the surrounding Arabic.
| Word | Letters, left to right |
|---|---|
| kitap | k · i · t · a · p |
| kalın | k · a · l · ı · n |
| isim | i · s · i · m |
Examples
- Ben soldan sağa okuyorum.I read from left to right.
- Bu kitap çok kalın.This book is very thick.
- Bugün iki isim yazıyorum.I am writing two names today.
- kitapbook
- kalınthick
- isimname
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Turkish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Turkish device voice is available. You can still read the text.
Watch out
Do not treat the dots as optional vowel marks: ı and i are separate letters. In kalın (thick) the second vowel has no dot; in isim (name) both vowels have dots. Copying only the consonants loses part of the Turkish spelling.
Try it yourself
Copy the first word of the Turkish sentence, reading from left to right.
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Ben
Ben: it is at the left edge of the Turkish sentence. The Arabic surrounding a sentence does not move its first word to the right.
Fill both gaps with vowels to write “book”. Write the whole word.
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kitap
kitap: the gaps stand for i and a, giving five letters. The consonants alone do not spell the Turkish word for a book.
Complete “thick” with ı or i. Write the whole word.
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kalın
kalın: the missing letter is dotless ı. The model describing the book shows this exact spelling; adding a dot would change the letter.
Complete “name” with ı or i. Write the whole word.
Show answer or example answer
isim
isim: the first vowel is dotted i, just like the second. The initial vowel is part of the word, so you must write it too.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Copy the first word of the Turkish sentence, reading from left to right.
Fill both gaps with vowels to write “book”. Write the whole word.
Complete “thick” with ı or i. Write the whole word.
Complete “name” with ı or i. Write the whole word.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Copy the three sentences from left to right and circle every vowel letter. Then cover the models and write kitap, kalın and isim again. Continue with the linked vowel-harmony lesson.