Learning Turkish in a Week: Your Practical Guide from Scratch

Day Three: Numbers, Time, and Days of the Week

After learning how to greet people and navigate public transport over the past two days, we now arrive at a critical milestone in daily interactions: numbers and time. Whether you are checking museum opening hours, scheduling a Bosphorus ferry tour, or confirming an appointment, knowing numbers and time expressions gives you full independence and prevents any scheduling confusion.

The Foundation: Numbers 0 to 10

Turkish numbers follow a highly logical and mathematical structure. Once you memorize the first ten basic digits, you can construct any number up to a million instantly by placing the words side-by-side—no conjunctions or extra linking words required. Let us start with the core digits:

Forming Compound and Higher Numbers

To form compound numbers like 15 or 23, the rule is remarkably direct: state the tens value (twenty, thirty, forty, etc.) first, then immediately add the single digit. No extra words or connectors are used.

Here are the primary tens values you will need for daily transactions:

• On (Ohn) = 10
• Yirmi (Yeer-mee) = 20
• Otuz (Oh-tooz) = 30
• Kırk (Kuhrk) = 40
• Elli (El-lee) = 50
• Yüz (Yuez) = 100

Visual Example and Quick Exercise:

To say 25 in Turkish: combine forty/twenty Yirmi (20) with Beş (5) to get: Yirmi beş.

Try it yourself: How do you say 42 using the charts above?
(Correct Answer: Kırk iki).

Days of the Week: Scheduling Tours and Bookings

The official weekly calendar in Turkey begins on Monday and ends on Sunday. Keeping track of these ensures you never miss museum open days or flight schedules:

How to Ask for and Tell the Time

To ask what time it is directly, use the following standard phrase:

Saat kaç? (Sah-aht kahch?) = What time is it?

When answering, state the word “Saat” followed by the corresponding number. For example:

• Saat iki = It is two o’clock.
• Saat beş = It is five o’clock.

Numbers and Time in Turkish for Beginners

What Do We Learn in the Next Article?

Now that schedules and numbers are set, we will move on to one of the most enjoyable aspects of Turkish culture in day four: At the Cafe and Restaurant: Ordering Food and Dealing with the Bill. We will cover how to order traditional tea, borek, and signature meals like a true local.

Supplementary Time Vocabulary for Day Three:

— Learning Turkish in a Week Series —

Previous Article: 2- Transportation, Directions, and Navigation

Current Article: 3- Numbers, Time, and Days of the Week

Next Article: 4- At the Cafe, Restaurant, and Ordering Food

Similar Series: Learning Indonesian in a Week