Articles (a / an / the)
Turkish has no articles, so they are easy to skip. ✗ I have car. ✓ I have a car. Use the when both speaker and listener know which one: Close the door, please.
Verbs that do not need a preposition
- ✗ discuss about ✓ discuss the problem
- ✗ I am agree ✓ I agree / I am in agreement
- ✗ married with ✓ married to
- ✗ explain me ✓ explain it to me
False friends
| English word | Means | Not |
|---|---|---|
| actual | gerçek, fiili | güncel (that is current) |
| eventually | sonunda, en sonunda | olasılıkla (that is possibly) |
| sympathetic | anlayışlı, empati gösteren | sempatik / cana yakın (that is likeable) |
| sensible | makul, mantıklı | hassas (that is sensitive) |
| fabric | kumaş | fabrika (that is factory) |
| library | kütüphane | kitapçı (that is bookshop) |
Sounds Turkish lacks
- th (/θ/ and /ð/): think, this — not “s/z” or “t/d”. Put the tongue tip lightly between the teeth.
- w vs v: west (lips rounded) ≠ vest (teeth on lip).
- Word-final voiced sounds: bad keeps its d; do not turn it into “bat”.
Use the US/UK audio buttons and repeat each word aloud — recording yourself and comparing is the fastest fix.