Numbers & Basic Ordinals
A1
Numbers
Numbers are essential in everyday Turkish. They appear in prices, time expressions, dates, quantities, addresses, and descriptions. Turkish numbers follow a simple and fully regular system, making them easy to learn and expand.
1. Cardinal Numbers (Temel Sayılar)
Cardinal numbers indicate how many of something there are.
Turkish uses a consistent decimal-based structure.
0–10
sıfır (zero)
bir (one)
iki (two)
üç (three)
dört (four)
beş (five)
altı (six)
yedi (seven)
sekiz (eight)
dokuz (nine)
on (ten)
11–19
Formed as on + unit:
on bir (11)
on iki (12)
on üç (13)
on dört (14)
on beş (15)
on altı (16)
on yedi (17)
on sekiz (18)
on dokuz (19)
Tens
yirmi (20)
otuz (30)
kırk (40)
elli (50)
altmış (60)
yetmiş (70)
seksen (80)
doksan (90)
20–99 pattern
Tens + unit:
yirmi bir (21)
otuz dört (34)
kırk dokuz (49)
yetmiş sekiz (78)
Hundreds and thousands
yüz (100)
iki yüz (200)
üç yüz (300)
bin (1000)
iki bin (2000)
All numbers follow a predictable pattern with no irregular forms.
2. Numbers in Sentences
When a number comes before a noun, the noun stays singular in Turkish.
Examples:
iki kitap (two books)
beş öğrenci (five students)
on elma (ten apples)
dört kedi (four cats)
This rule applies to all nouns.
3. Ordinal Numbers (Sıra Sayıları)
Ordinal numbers indicate order or ranking: first, second, third, etc.
They are formed with the suffix -(I)ncI, adapted through vowel harmony and consonant harmony.
Basic forms
birinci (first)
ikinci (second)
üçüncü (third)
dördüncü (fourth)
beşinci (fifth)
altıncı (sixth)
yedinci (seventh)
sekizinci (eighth)
dokuzuncu (ninth)
onuncu (tenth)
Larger ordinals
Add the suffix to the full number:
yirmi birinci (21st)
otuz üçüncü (33rd)
kırk beşinci (45th)
yüzüncü (100th)
The suffix always appears at the end of the entire number.
4. Numbers Used in Everyday Expressions
Age
Ben yirmi dokuz yaşındayım. (I am 29.)
O on yaşında. (He/She is 10.)
Time
Saat üç. (It is three o’clock.)
Saat sekiz buçuk. (It is 8:30.)
Prices
On lira. (10 lira)
Yirmi beş lira. (25 lira)
Addresses
On ikinci kat. (12th floor)
Beş numara. (Number 5)
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Numbers are never pluralized
❌ iki kitaplar
✔ iki kitap
Ordinal suffix attaches to the entire number, not to each part
❌ yirmi birinci → yirmi + birinci (wrong structure)
✔ yirmi birinci (correct single unit)
When reading compound numbers, stress remains on the last word
yirmi beş, yetmiş iki
Examples
Üç öğrenci sınıfta. (Three students are in the classroom.)
Onuncu sayfayı açın. (Open the tenth page.)
Beş elma istiyorum. (I want five apples.)
Saat dörtte buluşuyoruz. (We are meeting at four.)
Birinci soru kolay. (The first question is easy.)
Notes
Cardinal numbers are regular and predictable.
Ordinal numbers use the suffix -(I)ncI, adapted by vowel harmony.
Nouns remain singular after numbers.
Numbers appear frequently in time, dates, age, money, and daily communication.
Numbers & Basic Ordinals – FAQ (A1)
Q: How do Turkish cardinal numbers work?
A: Turkish cardinal numbers follow a regular decimal system and are formed in a predictable way without irregular forms.
Q: Does a noun become plural after a number in Turkish?
A: No. When a number comes before a noun, the noun always stays singular.
Q: How are ordinal numbers formed in Turkish?
A: Ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix -(I)ncI to the entire number, adapted by vowel harmony.