Following is a short story in simplified Turkish. The idea is to provide students of Turkish here a real text they can read. You may even enjoy the story itself. You will have to guess some letters I could not manage to print.

I shall try to reply any queries that you may have, in this thread.

BIR HIKAYE

Bir Japon çocuk vardı.
Büyüyünce bir judo ustası olmak istiyordu.
Japon çocuk bir trafik kazası geçirdi.
Hastanede sol kolunu kestiler.
Çocuk cok üzülmüstü.
Artık bir judo ustası olamayacagını düsünüyordu
Babası onu ünlü bir ustanın okuluna götürdü
Babası, ustaya çocugun hikayesini anlattı.
Usta, “tamam” dedi “ onu benimle bırak, beraber calısalım”
Ilk gün, Usta çocuga bir judo oyunu ögretti.
“Git, bunu calıs” dedi.
Çocuk, bir hafta bu oyunu calıstı.
Sonra Ustanın yanına gitti.
“Bu oyunu ögrendim” dedi.
“Baska oyun ögretmeyecekmisin?”
Ustası çocuga “zamanı gelince ögretecegim” dedi.
“ama simdi git, ayni oyunu biraz daha calıs”

Çocuk aynı oyunu günlerce, haftalarca, aylarca, yıllarca çalıstı.

Bir gün Usta çocuga,”yarın bir turnuva var” dedi
“Sen de katılacaksin.”
Çocuk cok sasırdı.
“Usta, ben turnuvada ne yapabilirim” diye sordu.
“Elinden gelenin en iyisini” dedi Usta.
“Çık ve mertce dögüs”

Turnuvanın ilk macında, çocuk baslangıçta bildigi tek oyunu yapti.
Rakibi gafil avlanmıstı.
Çocuk rakibini eledi.
Daha sonraki maclarda , çeyrek final ve yarı final maclarında netice degismedi.
Bizim çocuk bildigi tek oyunu macın basında yapıyor ve macları kazanıyordu.
Çocuk kendisi de sasırmıstı bu ise.
Usta hic bir sey söylemiyordu.

Final macı geldi.
Rakip gercekten usta, kusursuz bir judocu idi.

Çocuk Ustasının yanına kostu.
“Bu rakibe karsi hic sansım yok Usta” dedi.
“Bu maca hic cıkmasam daha iyi olacak”
“Hayır” dedi Usta.
“Maca cıkacak, dövüsecek ve gücün yetmezse serefin ile yenileceksin”

Bizim çocuk, baslama gongu ile beraber rakibine daldi.
Bildigi tek oyunu uyguladı.
O da ne? Rakip yerde, bizim çocuk galipti.
Ortalık alkıstan inliyordu.

Mactan sonra çocuk, Ustasının yanına kostu.
“Neler oluyor Usta?” diye sordu.
“Ben tek kol ve tek oyunla nasıl sampiyon oldum?”

Usta gülümsedi “Bir defa, sen bu oyunu o kadar cok çalıstın ki bu oyunda senden üstün kimse yok” dedi.
“ Ikincisi, senin oyununa karsı tek bir savunma var, onda da rakibin senin sol kolunu tutabilmesi gerekiyor”

Oh, thank you so much! That was great, and also funny, I enjoyed it! (Also to read something different for once...) Did you rewrite it by yourself or where did you get it from? If you have more of the kind, keep posting.

It is a Japanese story. I heard it, in English, from a Japanese friend.

Happy you actually enjoyed it. I dont think anyone else tried it...

I would like to ask you... Is it very much simplified this way? Would easy childrens books be much more difficult? Because I am looking for something to read... Do you have any suggestions?

1. I did not simplify the text very much. I only broke down compound sentences into shorter simple ones, for ease of understanding.

2. If you were able to read and understand this story, you should have no difficulty in reading children's books at all.

3. My suggestion is that you practice reading with Turkish Newspapers and magazines...May seem hard at first, but you will be amazed how rapidly it will become easier.

4.If I come across easy Turkish reading sites on the net, I will let you have the links.

Good luck !

Thank you very much, AlphaF! Actually I tried reading newspaper some weeks ago, it was really hard. But maybe I gave up too easily. I will try again, and with childrens books too. Thank you.

Try to read "Nasreddin Hoca" and "Keloğlan" stories, they are fun and not too hard to understand.

Try these:
http://www.gulum.net/hikaye/bolumler.php?op=katbak&id=9
or these:
http://www.eogretmen.com/cocuk_hikaye_ve_masallari.htm

Thank you so much Ayla! I will try soon. And now I am determined to go to the turkish music and bookshop in the next street aswell...

A learning friend here turned in an almost perfect translation of the text...

Others can also do it.

Do not miss the HANG recital at.

http://www.glumbert.com/media/wellhang

Thank you Alpha for the story, for your job.
And thank you Ayla for the links.
I enjoyed, it is very good practise. Now trying to go backward and translate into English, Russian too.

My Turkish has just about deserted me - have been too busy to do much.

Is it possible to put up an English translation so I see how well (or poorly ) I have done?

Thanks

Can I just send you a copy of what I translated in a private message or post it in the thread?

PM me would be just great. Many thanks. Kay

AlphaF,

When my Turkish gets better, I will try to translate for myself. What a great resource, thank you! Thank you for being a good teacher.

My Translation - Just one attempt.
Corrections appreciated!

BIR HIKAYE
One Story

Bir Japon çocuk vardı.
There was one Japanese boy

Büyüyünce bir judo ustası olmak istiyordu.
He wanted to be a Judo Master when he grew up.

Japon çocuk bir trafik kazası geçirdi.
The japanese boy had one traffic accident.

Hastanede sol kolunu kestiler.
They Cut his left arm in the hospital.

Çocuk cok üzülmüstü.
The boy was very affected.

Artık bir judo ustası olamayacagını düsünüyordu
He thought that he no longer would (will) be able to become a Judo Master.

Babası onu ünlü bir ustanın okuluna götürdü
His father took him to the school of a famous Judo Master
Babası, ustaya çocugun hikayesini anlattı.
His father explained the boy's history to the master.

Usta, “tamam” dedi “ onu benimle bırak, beraber calısalım”
The master said " OK" "Leave him with me , let's work together"

Ilk gün, Usta çocuga bir judo oyunu ögretti.
In the first day , The Master taught a Judo game (or trick?)to the boy.
“Git, bunu calıs” dedi.
" Go . try this " He said.
Çocuk, bir hafta bu oyunu calıstı.
The boy tried that game (trick?) for one week.

Sonra Ustanın yanına gitti.
Later , he went beside his master.
“Bu oyunu ögrendim” dedi.
"I learnt that game"
“Baska oyun ögretmeyecekmisin?”
" Won't you teach me another game?"

Ustası çocuga “zamanı gelince ögretecegim” dedi.
The master said to the boy " When the time comes , I will teach "

“ama simdi git, ayni oyunu biraz daha calıs”
" But now go , study the same game some more"
Çocuk aynı oyunu günlerce, haftalarca, aylarca, yıllarca çalıstı.
The boy studied the same game for days , weeks , months and years .

Bir gün Usta çocuga,”yarın bir turnuva var” dedi
“Sen de katılacaksin.”
One day the Master said to the boy " There's a tounament tomorrow" " You will also join"

Çocuk cok sasırdı.
The boy was very surprised.
“Usta, ben turnuvada ne yapabilirim” diye sordu.
He asked " Master , what can I do in the Tournament?"

“Elinden gelenin en iyisini” dedi Usta.
" Try to do your best " The master Said.
“Çık ve mertce dögüs”
"Go out and fight? bravely"

Turnuvanın ilk macında, çocuk baslangıçta bildigi tek oyunu yapti.
In the Tournament's first match , he did the only game (trick?) that he knew.

Rakibi gafil avlanmıstı.
The Rival was caught unawared.
Çocuk rakibini eledi.
The boy eliminated the rival.

Daha sonraki maclarda , çeyrek final ve yarı final maclarında netice degismedi.
In the subsequent games, the quarterfinal and the half-final the result didnt change.

Bizim çocuk bildigi tek oyunu macın basında yapıyor ve macları kazanıyordu.
Our boy did the only trick that he knew and won the games.
Çocuk kendisi de sasırmıstı bu ise.
The boy was also surprised of himself for this work.
Usta hic bir sey söylemiyordu.
The master was not saying anything.

Final macı geldi.
The Final match came
Rakip gercekten usta, kusursuz bir judocu idi.
The rival was really a master , he was a flawless Judoist.

Çocuk Ustasının yanına kostu.
The boy ran beside his master.
“Bu rakibe karsi hic sansım yok Usta” dedi.
" I have no chance against this rival Master" he said.
“Bu maca hic cıkmasam daha iyi olacak”
" It will be better if I dont go to this match"

“Hayır” dedi Usta.
"No" said the Master.
“Maca cıkacak, dövüsecek ve gücün yetmezse serefin ile yenileceksin”
"You will go to the match , will fight and if it's not enough you will be defeated with honor"

Bizim çocuk, baslama gongu ile beraber rakibine daldi.
Our boy (anlamadim)
Bildigi tek oyunu uyguladı.
He carried out the only trick that he knew.
O da ne? Rakip yerde, bizim çocuk galipti.
(anlamadim)

Ortalık alkıstan inliyordu.
The surroundings were resounding with applauses.
Mactan sonra çocuk, Ustasının yanına kostu.
After the game , the boy ran to his master.

“Neler oluyor Usta?” diye sordu.
"What is going on Master?" He asked.
“Ben tek kol ve tek oyunla nasıl sampiyon oldum?”
" How did I become the champion with one arm and with one trick?"

Usta gülümsedi “Bir defa, sen bu oyunu o kadar cok çalıstın ki bu oyunda senden üstün kimse yok” dedi.
The master smiled. "Once , you studied that trick so much that in this trick there's no one superior to you" He said.

“ Ikincisi, senin oyununa karsı tek bir savunma var, onda da rakibin senin sol kolunu tutabilmesi gerekiyor”
(her seyi Anlamadim!)
I came out with something like :

"In the second , there's only one defense against your game ----He had to be able to hold your left arm!! "

Thanks to anyone who can correct this in advance.
I had trouble while translating "oyun" didnt know if the best was "game" or "trick".

Bir Japon çocuk vardı.
There was a Japanese child.

Büyüyünce bir judo ustası olmak istiyordu.
He wanted to become a judo master when he was big.

Japon çocuk bir trafik kazası geçirdi.
The Japanese kid had a traffic accident.

Hastanede sol kolunu kestiler.
In the hospital his left arm was cut off.

Çocuk çok üzülmüstü.
The kid was very sad.

Artık bir judo ustası olamayacagını düsünüyordu
Now I can never become a judo master, he thought.

Babası onu ünlü bir ustanın okuluna götürdü
His father brought him to a famous Master school.

Babası, ustaya çocugun hikayesini anlattı.
His father told the kid's story to the Master

Usta, “tamam” dedi “ onu benimle bırak, beraber calısalım”
The Master said "Okay, leave him with me, we'll work together."

Ilk gün, Usta çocuga bir judo oyunu ögretti.
The first day, the Master taught the kid a judo game.

“Git, bunu calıs” dedi.
"Go, practice this," he said.

Çocuk, bir hafta bu oyunu calıstı.
The kid practiced this game for a week. (can game also be excersize here?)

Sonra Ustanın yanına gitti.
Then he went to (near) the Master.

“Bu oyunu ögrendim” dedi.
"I learned this game," he said.

“Baska oyun ögretmeyecekmisin?”
"Won't you teach me another game?"

Ustası çocuga “zamanı gelince ögretecegim” dedi.
The Master said to the kid: "In time, I will teach you."

“ama simdi git, ayni oyunu biraz daha calıs”
"But go now, and practice this game (excersize?) some more."

Çocuk aynı oyunu günlerce, haftalarca, aylarca, yıllarca çalıstı.
The kid practiced the same game (excersize) for days, weeks, months, years.

Bir gün Usta çocuga,”yarın bir turnuva var” dedi
One day, the Master said to the kid: "Tomorrow there will eb a tournament."

“Sen de katılacaksin.”
"You will also participate."

Çocuk çok sasırdı.
The child was very surprised.

“Usta, ben turnuvada ne yapabilirim” diye sordu.
"Master, what can I do in a tournament?" he asked.

“Elinden gelenin en iyisini” dedi Usta.
"You will turn out to be the best"

“Çık ve mertce dögüs”
"Go out and be brave."

Turnuvanın ilk macında, çocuk baslangıçta bildigi tek oyunu yapti.
The first match of the tournament, the kid began with knowing only one game (excersize).

Rakibi gafil avlanmıstı.
His oponent was cought off guard.

Çocuk rakibini eledi.
The kid beat his oponent.

Daha sonraki maclarda , çeyrek final ve yarı final maclarında netice degismedi.
The next match, quarter final and half final match the result dit not change.

Bizim çocuk bildigi tek oyunu macın basında yapıyor ve macları kazanıyordu.
Our kid only did the only excersize he knew and won the matches.

Çocuk kendisi de sasırmıstı bu işe.
The kid was surprised at his work.

Usta hiç bir şey söylemiyordu.
The Master said nothing.

Final macı geldi.
The final match came.

Uffff, I have to go back to work now... Maybe I'll have a go at the rest later I found that it got easier along the way. I must say I kinda cheated and looked up the words I didn't know. "Usta" for example

i didnt understand any thing i wish if there is a meaning for voc
thanks for ur work

Thank you AlphaF

It would be excellent to have more such texts available to learners of Turce. For beginners it seems very arduous task to find comprehensible text in modern Turkish.

Bravo, harikaydi.

Tazx1

AlphaF, thank you again for the story. It really helped me to gain confidence in comprehension. Lately I have been 'trying' to read children's stories from another website. Unforunately they seem to copy the 'Osmanli' style which is only marginally helpful in gaining proficeincy and confidence to engage in modern Turkish.

Your script embodied a 'flowing' momentum of its own, and it being in the modern dialect meant that one could 'anticipate' the text. This made comprehension not only easy but one where did not have to focus on 'each and every word'. The meaning unfolded almost automatically. Bin yuz bravo.

Here is my version of the translation to augment what someone else has already done. The diversity in translation will only embellish comprehension.

After reading my translation, I would like to invite friends to have a 'critical' look at it and suggest amendments ... feedback will only improve my language acquisition.
----------------------------

There was a Japanese boy. On growing up he wished to become a master at Judo. [Unhappily] the boy met [gecirdi] with a traffic accident. At the hospital they amputated his left arm. [As a consequence] The boy felt [uzulmuştu]
very despondent. "After all!", He thought, he would would never become a Judo master, now.

His father took him to a school [belonging] to a famous [Judo] master [and] explained the boy's circumstances [to the master].

"OK!", said the master, "leave him with me, let us work work with him".

On the first day, the master showed the boy a Judo tactic [oyunu].

"Go, practise it", he instructed.

The boy practised it for a week, then approached the master.

"I have learned the trick", he said to the master. "Are you going to teach me further tactic(s)?"

"As the times goes on, I will", replied master to the boy, " but for now, go and practise the same trick for a while longer".

The boy went [away] and practised the Judo trick for days, weeks, months and years [that followed].

One [fine] day the master mentioned to the boy, "There is a tournament tomorrow, and you are also going to wrestle (katilacaksiniz)[in it]".

The boy was very surprised.

"Master whatever can I accomplish at a tournament?", he asked.

"Do your best!", Replied the master. "Go! and plunge [döğüş] yourself into it with audacity [mert]".

At the commencing match of the tournament, the boy [he] performed the only trick that he knew [had practised]. The oponent was caught unawares [gafil], [and] the boy won. In the matches that followed later on, the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the situation [it] did not change much.

At the start of a [each] match, our boy was performing the only trick known to him and won the matches. The boy was himself amazed at this, [and] the master made no comment.

[At last] The final competition arrived. The oponent was really accomplished and a faultless Judo artist.

[Seeing this] The boy ran to his master.

"It will be better if I do not appear in this match", he obseved.

"No", responded the master, "if you are going wrestle and be defeated because of your handicap [gücün yetmezse], you will retreive [yenilemek] your honour".

Our hero [boy], from the sounding of the first bell [gong], plunged at the oponent. He performed the only trick known. What then! the oponent was grounded [yerde], and our boy won [emerged victorious]. He was confounded by the surrounding accolade.

After the match was over, the boy ran to his master.

"What is happening, master?", he asked, "how did I manage to became the champion with only one hand and only one trick?"

The master smiled, "Primarily, you mastered the trick to the extent that no one was better at it than you. Secondly, there was only one defence against your tactic, for that too [happen] your oponent had to be able to grapple you by the left hand!"

[tamam - and I truly enjoyed it].

I sincerely invite comments on the translation. Is it too embellished and divorced from the original text?

I would like to know specific examples in order to improve my own Turkish, lutfen.

I would like to know the EXACT translation of:-

“Elinden gelenin en iyisini” >

I love languages, and Turkish especially. English is my first language, Urdu being my mother tongue. I am also familiar with Arabic and Farsi ... I am in a position to comment that Turkish is one of the most cherished language I would like to learn.

Thanks. Tazx1

Can we have this in Practice Turkish section ?
İ want to give it a try also,but i have no time now,and it will get lost in the translations forum!