Elini cebine sokma.

Sokma is the negative informal singular imperative of sokmak.

• sokmak = to put in, insert, stick into
• sokma = don’t put in / don’t stick into

So the sentence is giving a command: Don’t put/stick your hand into your pocket.

In Turkish, the subject is often omitted when it is already clear from the verb form.

Here, sokma already tells you this is a command addressed to you singular, so sen does not need to be said.

• (Sen) elini cebine sokma. = Don’t put your hand in your pocket.

If you wanted the plural or polite form, it would be:

• Elinizi cebinize sokmayın. = Don’t put your hand in your pocket / Don’t put your hands in your pockets when speaking politely or to more than one person

Because elini is the direct object of the verb, and it takes the accusative ending.

Breakdown:

• el = hand
• elin = your hand
• elini = your hand + accusative

So:

• elin = your hand
• elini = your hand, as the thing being affected by the action

Turkish often marks a specific/definite direct object with the accusative. Here it is a specific hand: your hand.

Here cebine means into your pocket.

The important thing is that Turkish uses the dative ending -e / -a for motion toward/into something with verbs like sokmak.

So:

• cep = pocket
• cebine = into your pocket

Even though English often says in your pocket, Turkish is thinking in terms of movement into the pocket, not just location.

Because cebine shows direction, while cebinde shows location.

• cebine = into your pocket
• cebinde = in your pocket

With sokmak, something is being moved into something else, so cebine is the correct form.

Compare:

• Elini cebine sokma. = Don’t put your hand into your pocket.
• Elin cebinde. = Your hand is in your pocket.

It can actually mean either one in form, depending on context.

Why? Because two different structures can produce cebine:

• cebin-e = to your pocket
• cebi-ne = to his/her pocket

So the form is ambiguous by itself. In this sentence, the natural meaning is your pocket, because the sentence is a direct command to you, and elini also refers to your hand.

This is a common Turkish sound change.

Some words ending in p, ç, t, k change to b, c, d, ğ/g before a vowel-initial suffix.

So:

• cep → cebim, cebin, cebine

That is why you do not see cepine.

This kind of change is very common in Turkish and is worth getting used to.

Because Turkish usually expresses possession by adding suffixes directly to the noun.

So instead of separate words like your hand and your pocket, Turkish builds them like this:

• elin = your hand
• cebin = your pocket

Then more suffixes can be added:

• elini = your hand + accusative
• cebine = into your pocket

This is normal Turkish structure. English uses separate possessive words; Turkish often uses suffixes instead.

Not exactly.

• koymak = to put, place
• sokmak = to insert, stick into, push into

For a hand going into a pocket, sokmak sounds more natural because it suggests putting something into a somewhat enclosed space.

So Elini cebine sokma feels more like:

• Don’t stick your hand in your pocket
• Don’t put your hand into your pocket

No, Turkish word order is flexible, but this sentence has a very natural neutral order.

• Elini cebine sokma.

This puts the verb at the end, which is very typical in Turkish.

You could change the order for emphasis, for example:

• Cebine elini sokma.

But the original version is the most straightforward and natural in many situations.

Yes. That is actually a very good translation.

Because sokmak has the sense of inserting or sticking into, possible English translations include:

• Don’t put your hand in your pocket.
• Don’t stick your hand in your pocket.
• Don’t put your hand into your pocket.

Which English version sounds best depends on the tone and context.