Learn Hardcore Turkish: Giyim tarzını değiştirdiğine göre, sen kendini daha rahat ve cesur hissediyorsun, değil mi? - English: “Since you changed your clothing style, do you feel more comfortable and brave, right?”

It literally translates to “Considering that you changed your clothing style” or “Since you changed your dressing style.” The clause is built by taking giyim tarzı (“clothing style”), marking it with the accusative -nı (making it giyim tarzını as the object of the verb), then adding değiştirdiğine (a relative clause form of değiştirmek, “to change”) combined with -göre which functions like “since” or “given that.” This structure connects the reason with the main clause.

Why is giyim tarzını marked with an accusative ending in this sentence?

In Turkish, the direct object of a transitive verb requires an accusative marker when it is definite. Here, giyim tarzı (“clothing style”) takes the -nı ending to become giyim tarzını, clearly indicating the specific object that has been changed. This is a standard rule in Turkish grammar for showing definite objects.

What is the function of kendini in the sentence, and why is it used instead of just the subject pronoun?

Kendini is the reflexive form of sen (“you”) and means “yourself.” It is used to emphasize that the subject is experiencing the change in feeling personally. While Turkish often omits subject pronouns because verb conjugations already indicate the subject, the use of kendini in the main clause sen kendini daha rahat ve cesur hissediyorsun reinforces that the action directly affects you.

What role does the tag question değil mi? play at the end of the sentence?

Değil mi? functions as a tag question, much like “isn't it?” or “right?” in English. It invites the listener to confirm the speaker’s statement, ensuring that the listener agrees or acknowledges the change described in the sentence.

How does the sentence structure here compare to typical English constructions, especially regarding the order of clauses?

In this Turkish sentence, the subordinate clause Giyim tarzını değiştirdiğine göre appears at the beginning, setting up the reason or condition for the main clause that follows. In English, you might similarly say “Since you changed your clothing style, you feel more comfortable and brave, don't you?” Although both languages can use this order, Turkish often employs explicit suffixes like -diğine göre to indicate causal relationships, whereas English tends to use conjunctions such as “since” or “because”.