Salam! This Turkmen course was developed by the U.S. Peace Corps for its volunteers going to Turkmen. It can be useful as a primer for learning the basics of the Turkmen language. You can listen and follow along to each lesson or download the whole course directly.
Download Full Course (PDF and Audio Files)
Lesson 1 & 2
Lesson 3, 4 & 5 – The Turkmen Alphabet, Greetings & Numbers
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Printed Letter
Sound
Pronunciation
A a
“ah”
a, as in father
B b
“beh”
b, as in bread
Ç ç
“cheh”
ch, as in cheese
D d
“deh”
d, as in day
E e
“eh”
e, as in pen
Ä ä
“a”
a, as in cat
F f
“eff”
f , as in fine
G g
“geh”
g, as in garden
H h
“heh”
kh, as in hen (but guttural)
I i
“ee”
ee, as in see
J j
“jeh”
j, as in jean
Ž ž
“zheh”
as in pleasure
K k
“ka”
k, as in kite
L l
“ell”
l, as in lemon
M m
“em”
m, as in man
N n
“en”
n, as in note
Ň ň
“eng”
ng, as in morning
O o
“o”
o, as in board
Ö ö
“ö”
ir, as in girl, but rounded
P p
“peh”
p, as in pen
R r
“er”
r, as in red (slightly trilled)
S s
“eth”
th, as in thing
Ş ş
“sheh”
sh, as in wash
T t
“the”
t, as in tent
U u
“ooh”
oo, as in soon
Ü ü
“ü”*
u, as in use (close)
W w
“weh”
w, as in water
Y y
“uyi”*
y, as in possible
Ý ý
“yeh”
y’ as in yellow
Z z
“theh”
z, as in these
ýa
yo as in young
ýo
as Ýour
ýu
as you
ýe
as y in yes
English
Turkmen
Hi! Hello!
Salam!
How are you?
Nähili?
Good.
Gowy.
Bad.
Erbet.
Good bye. Thank you. Your health.
Sag bol. (for all of them you can use one phrase)
Number
Turkmen
0
nul
1
bir
2
iki
3
üç
4
dört
5
bäş
6
alty
7
ýedi
8
sekiz
9
dokuz
10
on
11
on bir
19
on dokuz
20
ýigrimi
30
otuz
40
kyrk
50
elli
60
altmyş
70
ýetmiş
80
segsen
90
togsan
91
togsan bir
100
ýuz
1000
müň
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Lesson 6, 7 & 8 – Introductions, Basic Conversation & Family
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English
Turkmen
My name is Zokhre.
Meň adym Zöhre.
What is your name?
Seň adyň näme?
Where are you from?
Sen nireden?
I’m from America.
Men Amerikadan.
How old are you?
Sen näçe ýaşyňda?
I am 20.
Ýigrimi.
Dialogue 1
English
Turkmen
– Hello.
– Salam.
– Hello.
– Salam.
– My name is Zohre. What is your name?
– Meň adym Zöhre. Seň adyň näme?
– My name is Ata.
– Meň adym Ata.
– How are you, Ata?
– Ata, nähili?
– Good. And you?
– Gowy. Sen nähili?
– Good.
– Gowy.
Dialogue 2/h4>
English
Turkmen
– What is your name?
– Seň adyň näme?
– Ata. And what is your name?
– Ata. Seň adyň name?
– Zohre. Where are you from?
– Zöhre. Sen nireden?
– I am from America.
– Men Amerikadan.
– Good.
– Gowy.
Dialogue 3
English
Turkmen
– Hello.
– Salam.
– Hello.
– Salam.
– My name is Zohre. What is your name?
– Meň adym Zöhre. Seň adyň näme?
– My name is Ata.
– Meň adym Ata.
– How are you, Ata?
– Ata, nähili?
– Good.
– Gowy.
– Where are you from?
– Sen nireden?
– I am from America.
– Men Amerikadan.
– How old are you?
– Sen näçe ýaşyňda?
– I am 20.
– Ýigrimi.
English
Turkmen
Do you have a family?
Seň maşgalaň barmy?
This is my family.
Bu meň maşgalam.
My father.
Meň kakam.
My mother.
Meň ejem.
My sibling.
Meň doganym.
My son.
Meň oglum.
My daughter.
Meň gyzym.
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Lesson 9, 10 & 11 – Food, Talking About Food & Shopping and More
English
Turkmen
Tea
Çaý
Bread
Çörek
Meat
Et
Water
Suw
Potato
Kartoşka
Fish
Balyk
Milk
Süýt
Meal
Nahar
I like .
Men halaýan.
I do not like .
Men halamok.
What do you like?
Sen näme halaýaň?
Dialogue 1
English
Turkmen
– What do you like? Water? Tea?
– Sen näme halaýaň? Suw? Çaý?
– I like tea.
– Men çaý halaýan.
Dialogue 2
English
Turkmen
– What do you like? Fish? Meat?
– Sen näme halaýaň? Balyk? Et?
– I like fish. I do not like meat.
– Men balyk halaýan. Men et halamok.
English
Turkmen
At the bazaar.
Bazarda.
How much is it?
Näçeden?
It is expensive.
Bu gymmat.
I do not have dollars.
Mende dollar ýok.
I have manats.
Mende manat bar.
Questions and Expressions
English
Turkmen
Red
Gyzyl
Black
Gara
Yellow
Sary
Blue
Gök
White
Ak
Green
Ýaşyl
Apartment
English
Turkmen
Where do you live?
Sen nirede ýaşaýaň?
Mir street, 34.
Mir köçe, otuz dört.
What is your telephone number?
Telefonyň näçe?
Where is the bathroom?
Tualet nirede?
Peace Corps
English
Turkmen
I’m a Volunteer.
Men meýletinçi.
Peace Corps
Parahatçylyk Korpusy
I’m a teacher of English.
Men Iňlis dili mugallymy.
I am a community health worker.
Men saglyk mugallymy.
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Lesson 12 – Colors
English
Turkmen
Who?
Kim?
What?
Näme?
When?
Haçan?
Where?
Nirede?
Why?
Näme üçin?
How much?
Näçe?
Useful Words and Expressions
English
Turkmen
Yes.
Hawa.
No.
Ýok.
Excuse me.
Bagyşlaň.
Really?
Şeýlemi?
Thank you.
Sag bol.
I need
Maňa gerek.
I am tired.
Men ýadadym.
I don’t understand.
Men düşünemok.
I don’t speak Turkmen well.
Men Türkmençe gowy bilemok.
Can you repeat, please?
Gaýtalaň.
Can you speak more slowly?
Haýal aýdyň.
What is it?
Bu näme?
What is it in Turkmen?
Bu türkmençe näme?
To have and there is/are
Bar
To have not and there is/are no
Ýok
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Original Course Text
Download Full Course (PDF and Audio Files)
View other Peace Corps courses
Salam! This Turkmen course was developed by the U.S. Peace Corps for its volunteers going to Turkmen. It can be useful as a primer for learning the basics of the Turkmen language. You can listen and follow along to each lesson or download the whole course directly.