Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kitap okumadıkça yeni şeyler öğrenmiyorum. - I do not learn new things unless I read books.

-dıkça is a temporal/provisional suffix added to the verb stem that can mean “as long as,” “whenever,” or, when combined with negation, “unless.”
Breakdown of okumadıkça:

oku‑ (to read)
‑ma‑ (negative)
‑dıkça (as long as/unless)
So okumadıkça literally means “as long as I don’t read” or “unless I read.”

Why is okumadıkça used instead of okumazsam (if I don’t read)?

Both can express a condition, but their nuances differ:

okumazsam = “if I don’t read” (a single conditional event)
okumadıkça = “as long as I don’t read” / “unless I read” (a repeated or general condition over time)
Here, okumadıkça emphasizes a habitual rule: whenever you fail to read, you fail to learn new things.

Why is there no accusative suffix -ı/-i on kitap in kitap okumadıkça?

In Turkish, when you speak about an indefinite or generic object, you typically omit the accusative suffix. Also, when a verb is negated, the object usually remains unmarked (no ‑ı/‑i).

kitap = “a book” (generic/indefinite)
Thus kitap okumadıkça means “unless I read books,” with kitap left unmarked.

Why is yeni şeyler not yeni şeyleri in yeni şeyler öğrenmiyorum?

Same rule as above: negative verbs don’t take the accusative on indefinite (generic) objects.

yeni şeyler = “new things” (in general, indefinite)
If you meant “I don’t learn those specific new things,” you could say yeni şeyleri öğrenmiyorum, but here it’s a general statement.

Why is the pronoun ben omitted in this sentence?

Turkish is a pro-drop language. The subject “I” is built into the verb ending ‑(y)orum in öğrenmiyorum. Adding ben is grammatically correct but redundant unless you want to emphasize “I”:

(Ben) kitap okumadıkça… (with emphasis)
Kitap okumadıkça… (normal)

What tense and aspect does öğrenmiyorum express?

öğrenmiyorum is the present continuous negative form of öğrenmek (to learn). In general statements like this, it conveys a habitual or ongoing lack of learning:

öğren‑ (root)
‑me‑ (negative)
‑yor‑ (continuous)
‑um (1st person singular)
So öğrenmiyorum = “I am not learning” / “I don’t learn” (habitual).

Can I replace okumadıkça with okumadan? What’s the difference between ‑madan and ‑madıkça?

You could say Kitap okumadan yeni şeyler öğrenmiyorum, meaning “I don’t learn new things without reading books.”
Differences:

‑madan = “without doing X” (simple, “if/when X doesn’t happen”)
‑madıkça = “as long as/unless X happens” (emphasizes an ongoing, repeated condition)
Use ‑madan for a straightforward “without” and ‑madıkça when you want the sense of “unless you do it every time.”

How would you translate Kitap okumadıkça yeni şeyler öğrenmiyorum into English?

Common translations include:

“I don’t learn new things unless I read books.”
“As long as I don’t read books, I don’t learn anything new.”