So you want to learn either Persian or Turkish but don’t know which one to pick. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
In this article, I’ll shed some light on the pros and cons for each language to help you decide.
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Should I Learn Persian or Turkish – A Comparison
Here’s the short answer:
- Persian is easier to learn for an English speaker.
- Persian is a highly desired language for government jobs.
- There are more speakers of Persian than Turkish.
- Turkish is written in the Latin script whereas Persian uses the Arabic script.
- Turkish is currently a better language for travel and tourism.
Persian is easier to learn than Turkish and is also in high demand in certain industries in the US and Europe.
Turkish, on the other hand, does offer great business opportunities in Turkey and is also more useful for travel and tourism.
Of course, part of your decision comes from your own personal reasons for wanting to study the language.
Perhaps you have friends that speak the language, maybe it’s your ancestral language or maybe you have a keen interest in the country it’s spoken in.
This should also be considered when choosing which language to learn as this will be your main motivating factor for learning the language.
Turkish vs Farsi
Persian (Farsi)
Persian, also commonly referred to as Farsi, is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The closest related languages are Kurdish and Pashto.
There are approximately 110 million native speakers of Persian around the world making it one of the world’s most spoken languages.
There are 3 main dialects of Persian – Farsi (spoken in Iran), Dari (spoken in Afghanistan) and Tajiki (spoken in Tajikistan).
All of the varieties of Persian are mutually intelligible so if you learn Persian you can communicate with people from Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan with ease.
Turkish
Turkish is the most widely spoken of the Turkic languages. Other closely related languages are Azerbaijani and Turkmen.
There are just over 80 million speakers of Turkish and it is an official language in both Turkey and Cyprus.
There are also small minority communities living in Iraq, Syria, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Greece.
Is Persian or Turkish Easier?
Persian is easier to learn than Turkish for an English speaker.
This is because both Persian and English come from the Indo-European language family.
This means that they both descended from the same ancestral language and as a result share many similarities which makes it easier to learn.
Turkish, on the other hand, is a Turkic language. This means it developed from a different ancestral language to English so won’t share as many similarities which makes it harder to learn.
Persian is widely accepted to be a relatively easy language for English speakers to learn due to its simple grammar.
In Persian, there is no gender, no irregular verb conjugations and nouns only have one form.
The main difficulty for an English speaker wanting to learn Persian is that it is written in an adapted form of the Arabic script.
Find out why Persian is written in the Arabic script.
Learning the Persian script isn’t as daunting as it might seem at first and can easily be done with plenty of practice, however there is also the added difficulty that short vowel sounds are not written in the script.
One thing that does make Turkish a bit easier is that it is written in the Latin alphabet, the same as English but with a few accented letters.
However that is where the similarities end unfortunately as Turkish is not related to English at all and the grammar and structure of the language is hugely different.
Is it Worth Learning Turkish or Persian?
Both countries have rich cultural heritage and history so both languages are definitely worth learning.
Persian is actually the second most spoken language in the Middle East and West Asia after Arabic. It’s among the top 20 most spoken languages in the world.
Turkish is also a hugely important language in West Asia and is also one of the world’s most spoken languages.
If you are interested in literature and poetry then Persian may be a better fit for you.
Persian poetry and literature is world-renowned. Iconic poets such as Rumi, Hafez, Saadi and Ferdowsi all wrote their works in Farsi.
As the Persian language hasn’t changed much in the last 1,000 years, you’ll be able to enjoy their works in the original language they were written in.
These Persian poets have influenced writers across the globe for centuries and modern Persian literature is also super popular with international audiences.
Turkish literature is also beautiful, some of the most famous Turkish writers are Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar and Yaşar Kemal.
Unfortunately, as some famous Turkish literature dates back a long time, the language used is much more archaic and not easy for modern Turkish speakers to understand.
Additionally, it was originally written in a different script to modern day Turkish.
Contemporary Turkish literature, however, is also vibrant and enjoyable, this includes works written by the Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk.
Which Would Be More Useful For Jobs?
If you’re trying to decide which language to learn based on which language will give you better job prospects then, arguably, Persian would be better.
Learning Persian will give you better access to certain jobs within Europe and the US whereas learning Turkish will give you better access to jobs in Turkey, the Balkans and the surrounding areas.
Persian Job Opportunities
Persian is currently an in demand language in both Europe and the US.
Due to current relations between Iran and the West, people with knowledge of Persian are needed urgently by government agencies, particularly those involved in intelligence, military and diplomatic activities.
As Persian is not a popular language to learn, at least in places like Europe and the US, Persian speakers are hard to find so it will definitely make your resume stand out from the crowd if you can speak Persian.
The US government has actually designated Persian as a ‘critical need language’ and now offers many scholarships for students learning Persian.
For more information on this, check out my post on if Persian is worth learning.
Turkish Job Opportunities
There are also a wealth of job opportunities available for those who choose to learn Turkish.
Turkey’s fast growing economy and location as a bridge between Europe and Asia means that it is a huge center of investment, business and study for all types of people.
In fact, Turkey also has a much larger economy than Iran and also has a better relationship with the West meaning more business opportunities.
Many companies are actually moving into Turkey for business and investment purposes.
Knowing how to speak Turkish would be hugely beneficial for anyone doing business with Turkish-based companies or planning to work in Turkey.
Additionally, the US government has also designated Turkish a ‘critical need language’ and also offers scholarships for students looking to learn it.
Turkish may not be as in demand as Persian but there are still plenty of job opportunities out there, especially within Turkey itself.
Don’t forget that with both languages you could also work as a translator or interpreter.
Which is Better for Tourism?
If you want to learn Persian or Turkish for traveling then both would be very useful.
It entirely depends on which regions of the world you are wanting to travel to but, arguably, Turkish would be better as Turkey is currently easier and safer to visit.
Persian can be used in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Turkish is spoken mainly in Turkey but also in Cyprus.
All of these countries offer a range of fantastic experiences for tourists including a wealth of history, nature, food and much more.
Iran has incredible nature and so much history including one of the oldest human settlements. It has lavish mosques, beautiful palaces and interesting bazaars to explore.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, Afghanistan isn’t currently safe to travel to although it is certain that Afghanistan is also a beautiful country with a lot of history.
Afghanistan has many historical sites including the 2,000 year old Buddha statues, the tomb of Hazrate Ali (the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammed), the deep blue lakes of Band-e Amir and surrounding mountains.
Turkey offers very impressive and attractive travel opportunities and is a much easier and safer country to travel to currently compared with Iran and Afghanistan.
Turkey is a popular tourist destination due to its exotic cities and stunning beaches, coastlines and mountains which provide a perfect getaway for travelers.
The capital, Istanbul, is the only city in the world that is situated on 2 continents – the western half of the city is in Europe whilst the eastern half is in Asia.
Istanbul is a melting pot of cultures where you can visit thousand-year-old mosques or pick up something new from the Grand Bazaar.
Conclusion – Should I Learn Persian or Turkish?
Hopefully this article gave you an insight into the pros and cons of learning Persian or Turkish.
By now you may have a clearer idea of which one is better for you to learn.
In conclusion, Persian is more widely spoken than Turkish and provides access to better job opportunities in the US and Europe.
Persian is also easier to learn but Turkish is better for travel and tourism currently.
Don’t forget to think about your own personal motivation for learning Persian or Turkish as this is arguably the most important thing to consider.
If you have a particular love for Persian poetry or Turkish culture, you may already have your answer on which language to learn.
If a friend or partner speaks one of these languages natively then that might also influence your decision.
You need to be extremely motivated to learn a language (if you’re not then you’ll give up) so choose wisely.
The difficulty or range of a language is far less important than the key reason as to why you want to learn it.
For example, if your mind is telling you to learn Persian for the job opportunities but your heart is telling you to learn Turkish because you love Turkish culture, then choose Turkish.
Want to learn Farsi? We have a free PDF that I know you’ll love…
Struggling to choose between Persian and other languages too?
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