Learn Hardcore Turkish: Hijyen için sabun kullanmalısın.

için is a postposition that means for, indicating purpose or reason. Here hijyen için literally means for hygiene (i.e. in order to stay hygienic).

Why is için placed after hijyen?

Turkish uses postpositions (not prepositions). A noun comes first, then the postposition. There is no case ending on hijyen because için itself marks the relationship.

Why doesn’t sabun have an accusative ending (e.g. sabunu)?

Objects in Turkish take the accusative suffix -ı/-i/-u/-ü only when they are definite/specific. Here sabun is indefinite (just “soap” in general), so it stays in the zero-marked form.

What does the suffix -malısın convey?

The suffix -malı/-meli expresses necessity or obligation (similar to must or have to in English). When you add the second-person singular ending -sın, you get kullanmalısın: you must use or you should use.

How is kullanmalısın constructed?

Breakdown of kullanmalısın: • Root: kullan- (“use”)
• Necessity suffix: -malı
• Personal ending: -sın (you, singular)
Put together: kullan- + ‑malı + ‑sın → kullanmalısın.

What is the default word order in this sentence?

The neutral Turkish word order is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). Even though the subject “you” is implied, the object sabun comes before the verb kullanmalısın. Adverbials like hijyen için often appear at the beginning: hijyen için / sabun / kullan-malısın.

Can I swap the order of phrases for emphasis?

Yes. Turkish allows flexible word order. For example: • Sabun hijyen için kullanmalısın. (puts extra stress on sabun)
• Kullanmalısın sabun hijyen için. (very marked; focusing strongly on the verb)

How would you make this sentence negative (“you shouldn’t use soap”)?

Use the negative form of the necessity suffix: • Root + negation + necessity + personal ending
• kullan- + ‑ma + ‑malı + ‑sın → kullanmamalısın
So: Hijyen için sabun kullanmamalısın.