Turkish Numbers 1 to 100
Turkish has one of the most beautifully logical number systems of any language. There are no irregular forms, no reversed digits, and no base-20 surprises. Learn 12 root words and you can count to a million. This guide covers every number from 1 to 100 and shows why Turkish numbers are a joy for language learners.
Numbers 1–10: The Building Blocks
These ten words are the foundation. Every number in Turkish is built from these roots combined with the tens words below. Memorize them and the entire system opens up.
Pay attention to the Turkish-specific letters: ü (like German ü, round your lips and say "ee"), ö (round your lips and say "eh"), ç (ch sound), ş (sh sound), and ı (uh sound, like the "a" in "about").
Numbers 11–19: Simply Add Them Together
Eleven in Turkish is just on bir — "ten one." There is no special word for the teens, no spelling changes, and no exceptions. Just say the tens word followed by the ones word.
The Tens: 20–100
There are only six new words to learn for the tens (20-90). Combined with on (10) and yüz (100), this gives you full coverage up to 100.
Notice the beautiful pattern in some of the tens: altmış (60) comes from altı (6), yetmiş (70) from yedi (7), seksen (80) from sekiz (8), doksan (90) from dokuz (9). The tens are derived from the ones digits — the system is deeply logical.
Building Any Number
The formula for any two-digit number is simply: tens word + ones word. No connecting word, no changes, no exceptions.
- 23 = yirmi üç (twenty three)
- 47 = kırk yedi (forty seven)
- 68 = altmış sekiz (sixty eight)
- 91 = doksan bir (ninety one)
Compare this to French (where 91 is "four-twenty-eleven"), German (where 91 is "one-and-ninety"), or English (where teens are irregular). Turkish simply says what it means.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Turkish numbers easy to learn?
Yes. Turkish numbers are considered one of the most logical number systems in the world. There are only 12 root words to memorize (1-10 plus the words for tens, hundreds, and thousands). Every other number is built by combining these roots in a predictable, regular pattern with no exceptions.
How do you form compound numbers in Turkish?
Simply say the tens word followed by the ones word with no connecting word needed. For example, 35 = otuz beş (thirty five), 78 = yetmiş sekiz (seventy eight). There are no irregular forms, spelling changes, or exceptions.
Does Turkish use a different number system than Western numbers?
Modern Turkish uses standard Western Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3...) for writing. The Ottoman Empire used Arabic-script numerals, but Atatürk's language reforms in 1928 switched to the Latin alphabet and Western numerals. The spoken number words are purely Turkish in origin.
How do you say prices in Turkish?
State the number followed by the currency. For example, "25 lira" is yirmi beş lira. For kuruş (cents), add the kuruş amount after: on iki lira elli kuruş (12 lira 50 kuruş). In casual speech, kuruş amounts are often dropped.
What is the Turkish word for zero?
Zero in Turkish is sıfır (suh-fuhr). It is used in phone numbers, math, temperatures, and sports scores, just as in English. In phone numbers, each digit is read individually: 0532 = sıfır beş üç iki.