Master Turkish Numbers
Turkish numbers are beautifully logical and consistent, reflecting the language's agglutinative nature. Compound numbers are formed by simply combining words: 25 is yirmi beş ("twenty five"). Ordinals are created by adding the suffix -inci/-ıncı/-üncü/-uncu, with the exact vowel determined by Turkish vowel harmony — one of the language's most distinctive features. Once you learn the basic digits and tens, the entire system clicks into place.
Watch the videos below, then download the Foreign Numbers app and practice what you've learned!
Turkish Phone Numbers
How phone numbers work in Turkey & how locals say them
| Numeral | Cardinal | Ordinal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | bir | birinci |
| 2 | iki | ikinci |
| 3 | üç | üçüncü |
| 4 | dört | dördüncü |
| 5 | beş | beşinci |
| 6 | altı | altıncı |
| 7 | yedi | yedinci |
| 8 | sekiz | sekizinci |
| 9 | dokuz | dokuzuncu |
| 10 | on | onuncu |
| 20 | yirmi | yirminci |
| 30 | otuz | otuzuncu |
| 40 | kırk | kırkıncı |
| 50 | elli | ellinci |
| 60 | altmış | altmışıncı |
| 70 | yetmiş | yetmişinci |
| 80 | seksen | sekseninci |
| 90 | doksan | doksanıncı |
| 100 | yüz | yüzüncü |
| 1000 | bin | bininci |
| 1.000.000 | bir milyon | bir milyonuncu |
| 1.000.000.000 | bir milyar | bir milyarıncı |
| 1.000.000.000.000 | bir trilyon | bir trilyonuncu |
| 1.000.000.000.000.000 | bir katrilyon | bir katrilyoncu |
| 1.000.000.000.000.000.000 | bir katrilyar | bir katrilyarıncı |
Number data and information courtesy of Omniglot.
What Makes Turkish Numbers Challenging
Turkish numbers are among the most regular and logical in the world, but the vowel harmony system means suffixes change their vowels to match the word — the ordinal suffix has four forms (-inci, -ıncı, -üncü, -uncu). The Turkish vowels ö, ü, ı (dotless i) are unfamiliar to English speakers and appear in several number words. The tens kırk (40) and elli (50) must be memorized as they do not follow the pattern of other tens. Larger numbers can produce long compound words that require parsing at speed.
Tips for Learning Turkish Numbers
Turkish numbers are a joy to learn — the system is completely regular after memorizing digits and tens. Focus on the unfamiliar vowels (ö, ü, ı) early. Memorize kırk (40) and elli (50) specifically since they break the otherwise perfect pattern. Vowel harmony in ordinal suffixes follows consistent rules that apply across all of Turkish, so learning it for numbers helps with the entire language. Practice with Turkish lira amounts and street addresses for everyday number fluency.
Practice Turkish Numbers
Reading about numbers is one thing — understanding them spoken at natural speed is another. Test your Turkish number skills with our free listening game.
Play the Number Game