How Well Do You Know Turkmen Vocabulary?

Why take our Turkmen Vocabulary Quiz?

A language spread across several countries in South-Central Asia, Turkmen is from the group of Turkic languages. These Turkic languages include Turkish, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, and Kazakh, among many others.

Turkmen, an ancient and fascinating Turkic language, holds a significant place in the cultural tapestry of Central Asia. With around 8 million speakers primarily residing in Turkmenistan as well as communities in neighboring countries, this language is an essential component of Turkmen identity and heritage.

As a member of the Turkic language family, Turkmen shares linguistic similarities with other Central Asian languages like Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Uzbek. However, it has distinct characteristics that set it apart and make it an intriguing language to explore.

One of the unique aspects of the Turkmen language is its use of the Arabic script until the early 20th century, when it switched to the Latin script and eventually adopted the Cyrillic script under Soviet influence. In recent times, there has been a resurgence of interest in the Arabic script, particularly among scholars and cultural enthusiasts seeking to preserve the historical roots of the Turkmen language.

The language has a rich literary tradition, with its origins dating back to the early Middle Ages. Throughout history, Turkmen poets and scholars have crafted beautiful poems, epic tales, and insightful philosophical works that continue to resonate with pride in Turkmen culture. The famous Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy holds a revered place in the hearts of Turkmen people for his contributions to their literary heritage.

Turkmenistan, with its vast reserves of natural gas and strategic geographic location in Central Asia, plays a crucial role in the regional and global energy landscape, and proficiency in the Turkmen language opens doors to opportunities in various sectors, from energy and trade to diplomatic and cultural exchanges with Turkmenistan and its neighboring countries.

Below are a few languages that are related to Turkmen in that they also belong to the Turkic language family:

It is believed that the Turkic languages all originated in the Altay Mountains of Mongolia. This common origin is clear, as the Turkic languages are so closely related that you shouldn’t be surprised to find yourself able to understand native speakers.