Turkmen

A language of Turkmenistan

Trukhmen, Trukhmeny, Turkmani, Turkmanian, Turkmenian, Turkmenler, Turkomans, Türkmen dili

Türkmençe, түркменче‎ (Türkmençe)

4,340,000 in Turkmenistan (2020 World Factbook). Ethnic population: 5,100,000 (2020). Total users in all countries: 6,656,060.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Afghanistan

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 13).

Classification

Turkic, Southern, Turkmenian

Dialects

Nokhurli, Anauli, Khasarli, Nerezim, Yomud, Teke (Tekke), Goklen, Salyr, Saryq, Esari, Cawdur.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; no articles; case-marking (5 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense; 23 consonant and 9 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; vowel harmony; evidentials.

Language Use

Also use Russian [rus].

Language Development

Literature. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2017.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Turkmen

Writing

Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab], used in Afghanistan and Iran. Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used in Turkmenistan, not used in Afghanistan. Latin script [Latn], official usage in Turkmenistan since 1991.

Other Comments

Turkmen in Syria and Iraq displays heavy Turkish [tur] and Arabic influences lexically with some Azeri features. Turkmen in Iran shows many Persian [pes] features. Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Expand All

Collapse All

Afghanistan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

733,000 in Afghanistan (2021 World Factbook).

Location

Badghis, Balkh, Faryab, Herat, Jawzjan, and Kunduz provinces; most live outside cities, including Kabul; northern border of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.

Alternate Names

Turkman, Turkmencha, Turkmeni, Türkmen dili, Türkmençe

Dialects

Ärsare (Arsariy), Shirik, Teke (Taka), Yomut, Bayat, Xatap.

Language Status

5 (Dispersed). Statutory language of provincial identity in Turkmenistan border areas (2004, Constitution, Article 16(2)).

Language Use

Vigorous. In villages, all domains; in larger cities, home and among other Turkmen. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Most also use Southern Uzbek [uzs], and about 70%–80% can understand it. Also use Dari [prs], but only those living in large cities speak it.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: Very low. Girls and women especially low. In remote areas, few children, especially girls, are able to attend school. Near cities, a sharp increase in the next generation attending school. The Afghanistan Ministry of Education has produced Turkmen language textbooks for first through twelfth grades. But as of Nevember 2021, these materials had not yet distributed to the schools. Taught as subject in some primary schools in grades 1–3.

Other Comments

Most Turkmen in Afghanistan use Ärsare. Muslim.

View other languages of Afghanistan

Germany

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

1,940 in Germany (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Germany

Iran

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

746,000 in Iran (2019). Ethnic population: 2,570,000 (2019).

Location

Golestan, Razavi Khorasan, and North Khorasan provinces: Turkmenistan border area; Mazandaran province: Gonbad-e Kavus and Pahlavi Dezh.

Alternate Names

Torkomani, Türkmen dili, Türkmençe

Dialects

Anauli, Khasarli, Nerezim, Nokhurli (Nohur), Chavdur, Esari (Esary), Goklen (Goklan), Salyr, Saryq, Teke (Tekke), Yomud (Yomut), Trukmen.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Language Use

Also use Iranian Persian [pes].

Other Comments

Not a literary language in Iran. Many are seminomadic. Ethnic groups: Yomut, Goklan. Turkmen in Iran shows many Persian [pes] features. Muslim.

View other languages of Iran

Iraq

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

470,000 in Iraq (2020).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Turkmen in Iraq displays heavy Turkish [tur] and Arabic influences lexically with some Azeri features.

View other languages of Iraq

Kazakhstan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

1,800 in Kazakhstan (Leclerc 2017e).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

1,200 in Kyrgyzstan (2009 census). Ethnic population: 1,400 (2009 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Kyrgyzstan

Pakistan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

10,900 in Pakistan (2016).

Location

Several refugee camps near Quetta, and in cities.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Muslim.

View other languages of Pakistan

Russian Federation

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

30,800 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 36,900 (2010 census).

Location

Astrakhan province; Stavropol krai.

Alternate Names

Turkpen

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Russian Federation

Syria

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

109,000 in Syria (2019).

Location

Scattered.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Turkmen in Syria displays heavy Turkish [tur] and Arabic influences lexically with some Azeri features.

View other languages of Syria

Tajikistan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

13,700 in Tajikistan (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 32,500 (2017).

Location

Khatlon region: scattered.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Tajikistan

Turkey

Language NameTurkmen

Location

Tokat province.

Alternate Names

Trukhmen, Türkmen dili, Türkmençe

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Refugees from Afghanistan; now Turkish citizens. Muslim.

View other languages of Turkey

Uzbekistan

Language NameTurkmen

User Population

197,000 in Uzbekistan (2019).

Location

Scattered along Turkmenistan border.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Uzbekistan

Turkmen

Primary tabs

A language of Turkmenistan

Also spoken in:

Browse by

25th Edition

Products

Related Sites