Learning Turkish The Fun Way
You see a cute couple gif on Twitter or stumble upon a romantic edit set to your favorite Taylor Swift tune. You`re curious. You look up the title of the show and realize that it`s a Turkish show (dizi) and subtitles are either difficult to come by, not completely accurate, or having to read and watch at the same time is making it hard for your to fully emerge yourself in the story. You get hooked on dizis anyway, so much so, that now you want to learn the language, so the language barrier can no longer get in the way between you and your favorite shows.
Learning a new language is a big undertaking and a huge time commitment, however, having been part of the Turkish dizi fan community for quite a few years, I`m hearing of more and more non-Turkish speakers deciding to learn the language. I, as of a few weeks, am one of them.
So, what are some of the most effective and fun ways to learn Turkish that you can incorporate into your daily life?
Didn’t I just say that part of the reason to learn Turkish is so that you no longer need to rely on subtitles? Precisely, but hearing the language be spoken by natives while simultaneously getting a translation of what is being said can do wonders in terms of learning the meaning of simple phrases, as well as helping your ear to adjust to the pronunciation which definitely differs from American and British English. If time permits (dizi episodes tend to have a run time that is typically a little over two hours), I would suggest watching an episode of your favorite show once it comes out, without subtitles and see how much meaning you`re able to grasp. Then, once the subtitled version is available, watch it again, paying attention to the parts that you did not understand as well and focusing on any specific words that you can single out and remember for next time.
Listen to Turkish Music
Music is always with me, no matter where I go, and I assume that that`s the case for most people as well. Turkish culture is incredibly rich in terms of talent and entertainment, and when it comes to music, you can definitely find many artists that perform the exact kind of music you enjoy. Are you into bubblegum pop with an edge? Check out Aleyna Tilki. Do you like funky, uplifting pop music? Zeynep Bastık is your girl. What if you want to incorporate some Turkish music into your cardio playlist and are looking for some songs that you can run/cycle/dance to? I`ve got one name for you—Sefo.
While listening to Turkish music might not help you much with grammar rules and teach you how to properly put together a sentence, you can certainly pick up on some pronunciation rules, as well as learn new vocabulary. My favorite method for that is to find the lyrics of my favorites songs on the internet, print them out, and highlight the words I don’t yet know. Then I Google translate to find their meanings and jot them down in the margins. I keep all of the printouts in a binder and flip through it from time to time while listening to the songs on a daily basis to make sure that the words “stick” in my head.
Language courses with an instructor can certainly be pricey, but you can definitely find cheaper alternatives. The Duolingo app is a free app that helps people learn a variety of different languages by completing levels. The app turns learning a language into a sort of a game which makes the process a lot more relaxed and fun.
If you are looking for a more structured way of learning that is not going to break the bank, I suggest you check out Turkishle. Turkishle started as a YouTube channel where native Turkish speakers shared videos about Turkish culture, as well as provided language-learning videos, each on a different, district topic. As of recent, the Turkishle team has launched a course that as of me writing this blog post, consists of two different levels, a basic level, and a slightly more advances level for those who have either taken the beginners course or already have some sort of a Turkish language background. The course includes videos, excercises, as well as printouts that can be downloaded and used to study and practice the vocabulary and grammar taught during the classes. There is also a community component via WhatsApp where students can share their successes, struggles, and ask questions.
All in all, learning a language and learning it properly is not instant and it won`t happen overnight. It might take months to grasp the basics and years to be able to comfortably hold a conversation. However, every lesson taken, every song you listen to, and every new word you commit to memory, can take you closer to making new friends, seeing new places, and forging new and exciting paths. And being able to watch your favorite shows without scavenging the internet for subtitled versions of shows as if you`re a seasoned FBI agent, so there`s also that.
ieva | The Dizi Spell
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