Country Names In Turkish: Ultimate List Of 100+ Countries

If you’re a Turkish learner, there are two frequently asked questions that you will get from native Turkish people, and you had better prepare yourself to answer these questions every single day. Question number one is “nerelisin? (where are you from?),” and number two is “neden Türkçe öğreniyorsun? (why are you learning Turkish?).”

I don’t know about the second one since it can be personal, but I can help you with the first one. Once you learn country names in Turkish, you can proudly tell people about your hometown.

So in this article, you’ll learn more than a hundred country names in Turkish and I’m sure you’ll find your country here! If not, don’t hesitate to ask for it in the comments down below!

Why Should You Learn Country Names In Turkish?

You should know country names in Turkish to get to know local people and introduce yourself in Turkish better. If you are a foreigner learning Turkish, local people will have many questions about you and your hometown.

It’s also an opportunity to make a good impression on behalf of your people by introducing your country and culture to Turkish people.

Turkey Is No Longer “Turkey”

Yep, you’ve read it right! Turkey is officially no longer called Turkey in English. The new name of Turkey was changed to Türkiye, the country’s real name in the Turkish language. So right now, the Turkish and English names are the same: Türkiye.

The United Nations, upon the request of Turkey, changed the English name from “Turkey” to “Türkiye (pronounced as tur-key-yay)” in June 2022.

The leading cause of this change is because “turkey” is the name of an animal in English that is usually eaten on Thanksgiving Day, and it is used to mock the country from time to time.

So the UN agreed that the word Türkiye represents the culture and values of the Turkish nation in a better way than the word “turkey”. However, it seems that it will take a long time to get used to the new name since it is still called Turkey in many international media sources.

The Etymology Of The Name “Türkiye”

Türkiye originated from the name “Turchia” in the Italian language in the 12th century. Italians and other Europeans used to call the lands the Ottoman Empire ruled Turchia. However, the Ottomans never used the word “Türkiye” until the Republic Of Türkiye was established.

Türk means Turk, and the suffix -iye expresses ownership or an owned area so this is how the name Türkiye was derived.

Nationalities And Country Names In Turkish

Nationality names are derived from the country names in Turkish. In most cases, you add the suffixes “-lı, -li, -n, -an, -en” at the end of the country name to form the nationality name; however, there are some exceptions. Here are a few examples:

• Amerika – Amerikan/Amerikalı Play Amerikan/Play 多謝
• İtalya – İtalyanPlay Amerikalı
• Kore – KoreliPlay Koreli
• Tayland – TaylandlıPlay Taylandlı
• Suriye – SuriyeliPlay Suriyeli

In the country names ending with “-ya, -ye” or “-tan, -ten,” you should omit the last two/three letters. Here are a few examples:

• Türkiye – TürkPlay Türk
• Japonya – JaponPlay Japon
• Rusya – RusPlay Rus
• Yunanistan – YunanPlay Yunan
• Suudi Arabistan – ArapPlay Arap

When it comes to languages, you should add the suitable suffix “-ca, -ce, -ça, -çe” according to the last letter of the nationality name. Here are a few examples:

• Türk – TürkçePlay Türkçe
• Japon – JaponcaPlay Japonca
• Rus – RusçaPlay Rusça
• Yunan – YunancaPlay Yunanca
• Arap – ArapçaPlay Arapça

Here, we prepared a comprehensive list of more than a hundred country names in Turkish with their nationalities.

Countries In Africa

Here is the list of African country names in Turkish.

Countries In Asia

Here is the list of Asian country names in Turkish.

Countries In Europe

Here is the list of European country names in Turkish.

Countries In North America

Here is the list of North American country names in Turkish.

Countries In South America

Here is the list of South American country names in Turkish.

Countries In Oceania

Here is the list of Oceanian country names in Turkish.

How To Ask Somone’s Hometown In Turkish?

Q: Nerelisin(iz)? (Where are you from?)Play Nerelisin(iz)

A: Ben Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’ndeim. (I’m from The United States Of America.)Play Ben Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’ndeim

Q: Memleket(iniz) neresi? (Where is your hometown?)Play Memleket(iniz) neresi

A: Benim memleketim Almanya. (My hometown is in Germany.)Play Benim memleketim Almanya

Q: Nereden geliyorsun(uz)? (Where do you come from?)Play Nereden geliyorsun(uz)

A: Ben İspanya’dan geliyorum. (I come from Spain.)Play Ben İspanya’dan geliyorum

How Do You Say “Country” In Turkish?

The Turkish word for country is ülke which is used to refer to a nation or state. For example, you can say “My country is Turkey” as “Benim ülkem Türkiye” in Turkish.

Frequently Asked Questions About Country Names In Turkish

1. What Are The Names Of The Turkish Countries?

The Turkic countries include Turkey (Türkiye), Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. These countries share cultural and linguistic ties.

2. What Do The Turkish Call Their Country?

The Turkish call their country “Türkiye.”

3. Why Is Turkey Called Türkiye Now?

Turkey is officially called “Türkiye” to reflect its original Turkish name and to distinguish it from the bird, turkey, in English. This change was made to promote Turkish culture and its authentic identity on the international stage.

Final Words

Understanding country names in Turkish is a vital part of learning the language. Native speakers often ask, “Nerelisin?” (Where are you from?), and knowing how to answer is essential. This guide has provided over a hundred country names in Turkish, helping you confidently share your hometown with others. Did you want to know more names in Turkish? Then we also have the best guide for you! If you didn’t find your country, feel free to ask in the comments below!