For Turkish, the list of quality apps is quite small.

As a teacher and language learner myself, I have tested almost every app out there.

Some are great for vocabulary, while others are better for grammar.

And some… well, some are just a waste of time.

Turkish is an agglutinative language.

This means we stick lots of endings (suffixes) onto words to change their meaning. Because of this, apps that just use pictures and simple matching games often fail to teach you how the language actually works.

To help you save time and money, I’ve put together a list of the apps that actually work.

Which apps should you use?

The answer depends on what you need. Are you trying to learn grammar rules? Do you want to learn phrases for a holiday in Istanbul?

Here’s my breakdown of the top tools.

1. Talk In Turkish (Best overall)

If I could only recommend one app to a beginner, it would be this one.

Talk In Turkish is the largest and most comprehensive Turkish course app to date. It’s designed to take you from an A1 (absolute beginner) level through to around a B1 (lower intermediate) level.

Hundreds of lessons with high quality audio. One-time, inexpensive payment and no subscriptions.

Pros:

• Massive course covering every aspect of Turkish.
• Explains the language in tremendous detail without getting too overwhelming.
• Reinforcement quizzes.
• Low cost and no subscriptions.

Cons:

• No video yet (audio only).

2. Language Transfer (Best for grammar explanations)

Language Transfer is a free audio course. It is not a flashy app with cartoons or games. instead, it is an audio guide that teaches you the “logic” of Turkish.

Because Turkish is like a set of Lego bricks (you build words by adding pieces), you need to understand the rules of building.

The creator of the course breaks down complex concepts, like vowel harmony, in a way that makes perfect sense. He doesn’t make you memorize lists. He teaches you to think.

Pros:

• Completely free.
• Explains the “why” behind the grammar.
• No memorization required.

Cons:

• No visual element (it is audio only).
• No script to read along with.

3. Pimsleur (Best for speaking)

One of the hardest parts of Turkish for English speakers is the pronunciation.

Turkish has dotless ‘i’s (ı), dotted ‘o’s (ö), and ‘u’s (ü). If you only read them, you will likely pronounce them wrong.

Pimsleur is an audio-based method that focuses entirely on speaking and listening. It uses a technique called Spaced Repetition. It asks you to say a phrase, and then asks you again minutes later, then days later.

This is excellent for getting your mouth muscles used to Turkish sounds. It forces you to speak out loud from the very first lesson.

If you are planning a trip to Turkey and want to handle basic conversations - like ordering food or asking for directions - this is a great choice.

Pros:

• Gets you speaking immediately.
• High-quality native audio.
• Good for pronunciation practice.

Cons:

• It is expensive (subscription model).
• You won’t learn how to write or spell well.

4. Duolingo (Best for habits)

Everyone knows the green owl.

Duolingo is the most popular language app in the world. Is it the best for Turkish? Not necessarily. But it is very good at one thing: consistency.

Learning a language requires you to show up every day. Duolingo is very good at “gamifying” the process. It uses points, streaks, and leagues to keep you motivated.

However, Duolingo is not great at explaining Turkish grammar. It often throws sentences at you without telling you why the suffixes changed.

I recommend using Duolingo as a supplement. Use it for 10 minutes a day to learn new words (like elma for apple, or ekmek for bread), but do not rely on it as your only teacher.

Pros:

• Free to use.
• Fun and addictive.
• Good for basic vocabulary.

Cons:

• Grammar explanations are weak.
• Some sentences are weird and unnatural.

4. italki (Best for real interaction)

Apps are great, but an app cannot have a conversation with you.

italki is a platform that connects you with real Turkish tutors for 1-on-1 video lessons.

In my opinion, you need human interaction to truly learn a language. You need someone to correct you when you say geliyorum (I am coming) instead of gidiyorum (I am going).

On italki, you can find:

• Professional Teachers: They have degrees and structured lesson plans.
• Community Tutors: They are native speakers who help you practice conversation for a lower price.

You can often find tutors for as little as $8 to $10 per hour. This is the fastest way to improve your speaking confidence.

Pros:

• Real human interaction.
• Customized lessons for your needs.
• Exposure to real culture and slang.

Cons:

• It costs money (per lesson).
• You have to schedule time for it.

6. Memrise (Best for immersion clips)

Memrise is similar to Duolingo but with a very cool feature: “Learn with Locals.”

They have thousands of short video clips of real Turkish people saying phrases in real life. This is amazing for getting used to how Turkish sounds on the street.

In Istanbul, people speak fast. They might swallow some letters. Memrise helps you prepare for that reality better than the robotic voices used in other apps.

It is primarily a vocabulary flashcard app, but these videos make it stand out.

Pros:

• Videos of native speakers.
• Useful, everyday phrases.
• Good repetition system.

Cons:

• The free version is limited.

Summary comparison table

Here is a quick look at how these apps compare to each other.

How to use these apps effectively

Here is my advice on how to combine them:

1. Start with Talk In Turkish. Listen to one lesson a day to stay grounded in the structure of Turkish.
2. Use Duolingo or Memrise for 15 minutes a day during your commute or coffee break to build up your word bank.
3. Once you know some basics, book a trial lesson on italki. Even if you only know how to say “Hello” and “How are you”, a tutor will help you.

Remember, an app is just a tool. It cannot do the work for you. You have to be active, speak out loud, and practice regularly.

Kolay gelsin! (May it come easy to you!)