Work

The world of work

This module teaches the Turkish words for jobs and workplaces. Each word is shown in Turkish with its English meaning. Turkish uses the Latin alphabet but with a few special letters - ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş and ü - so read each word carefully. There are no "the/a" genders to learn here.

Words about work

Start with some general words about working life:

Match each job to its English meaning

Which job?

Which Turkish word means 'doctor'?

• doktor
• öğretmen
• hemşire
• şoför

Where people work

Now some words for the places where people work: - ofis = office - hastane = hospital - okul = school - restoran = restaurant Say each one aloud and watch for the special letters.

Match each workplace to its English meaning

Spot the jobs

Select the TWO words that are names of jobs (professions), not places.

• doktor
• öğretmen
• hastane
• okul

The person and the place

Keep two kinds of word apart: the person who does a job, and the place where they do it.

Which place?

Which Turkish word means 'hospital'?

• hastane
• ofis
• okul
• restoran

Jobs and workplaces in Turkish

A doctor is a _____ and a teacher is a _____. A doctor works in a _____, and a teacher works in a _____. The money you earn is your _____.

Getting a job

Put the steps of starting a working life into a sensible order.

• Finish school
• Train or study for a career
• Apply for a job
• Have an interview
• Start work and earn a salary

Who does this job?

Read what each person does, and pick the Turkish word for their job.

• This person looks after sick people and gives them medicine. Which job?
• This person teaches children in a school. Which job?
• This person drives a bus or a taxi to take people around. Which job?

Your turn: write in Turkish

Write two or three sentences IN TURKISH about a job and where that person works.

• Name the job with Ben …-im (I am a ...; the ending changes to match the word's vowels): Ben öğretmenim (I am a teacher) or Ben doktorum (I am a doctor)
• Name the workplace with -de/-da (in, at): okulda (at school) or hastanede (at the hospital)
• Other jobs and places you know: hemşire (nurse), şoför (driver), ofis (office), restoran (restaurant)
• You may add maaş (salary), patron (boss) or meslektaş (colleague), joined with ve (and)

Spell the special letters

For the top marks, keep two groups of words clear and linked, and spell the special letters correctly. First, the jobs - who someone is: doktor (doctor), öğretmen (teacher), hemşire (nurse), şoför (driver). Second, the workplaces - where they work: hastane (hospital), okul (school), ofis (office). Get the ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş and ü right, and you will recognise and spell them correctly in the exam.