Turkish vs Arabic: Which Is Easier, and How Similar Are They?

Key takeaways

• Turkish is the easier of the two for English speakers (Foreign Service Institute Category III against IV).
• Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words sound alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.
• Start with the one you will actually use; if speed is the goal, Turkish asks for fewer hours.

How hard is each one?

For an English speaker Turkish is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 1,012 class hours against 2,200 for Arabic. These are the figures behind the how long does it take to learn a language calculator, from the US Foreign Service Institute's published language training times.

The hours are for a native English speaker in full-time classes aiming at professional working proficiency. Useful everyday conversation comes sooner, and the calculator breaks the time down by level.

How much do the words overlap?

Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words sound alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.

A few everyday words that sound alike in Turkish and Arabic:

And a few everyday words that sound completely different:

Writing system and grammar

• The writing systems differ: Turkish uses the Latin alphabet and Arabic uses the Arabic script, written right to left.
• Both have noun cases: Turkish has 6 and Arabic has 3 in its formal written form.

Which should you learn first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Turkish asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is Turkish easier than Arabic?

For an English speaker Turkish is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 1,012 class hours against 2,200 for Arabic. Hours are for a native English speaker reaching professional working proficiency in full-time classes; casual learning gets you to useful conversation well before that.

How similar are Turkish and Arabic?

Their everyday vocabulary is mostly different: roughly 1 in 10 everyday words sound alike, so knowing one gives you little to lean on in the other.

Should I learn Turkish or Arabic first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Turkish asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours.

Do Turkish and Arabic use the same alphabet?

No. Turkish is written with the Latin alphabet and Arabic with the Arabic script, written right to left.

Keep going

• How long does it take to learn Turkish?
• Free Turkish vocabulary lists
• Turkish vocabulary test
• Turkish quiz
• How long does it take to learn Arabic?
• Free Arabic vocabulary lists
• Arabic vocabulary test
• Why One Turkish Word Can Carry an English Sentence
• Arabic Roots: One Pattern, a Dozen Words

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