Turkish Instruments with Funny Names (and How to Say Them)
Music is a big part of Turkish culture and it comes with some instruments that have seriously fun names! For kids learning Turkish, exploring these instruments is a joyful way to pick up new sounds, syllables, and cultural knowledge.
Let’s Make Some Noise!
Here are a few Turkish instruments with names that are fun to say and even more fun to hear:
- Zurna (ZOOR-nah): A loud, reedy wind instrument that’s used in folk celebrations. It sounds a bit like a supercharged flute!
- Darbuka (dar-BOO-kah): A goblet-shaped drum you play with your hands. Its rhythms are used in dances across the Middle East.
- Kemençe (keh-MEN-cheh): A small bowed instrument that sounds almost like a singing violin.
- Saz (SAHZ): A stringed instrument with a long neck, used in many Turkish folk songs.
- Kanun (kah-NOON): A flat, zither-style instrument you pluck—it looks like a tray of strings!
Just saying the names out loud helps kids get used to Turkish pronunciation. Try them together: zurna, darbuka, kemençe! They’re fun to say, hear, and remember.
Sound & Play: Activities for Kids
Instrument Imitation: Listen to short clips of each instrument and have kids imitate the sound they make using their voices or homemade instruments.
Name Match: Show photos of Turkish instruments and ask your child to match them to their Turkish names.
Learning with Dinolingo makes musical vocabulary even more exciting. Kids enjoy Turkish words through songs, animated videos, and audio tools that bring the rhythm of language learning to life.
Source: