Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kadın rahatsız olduğu için biraz dinlenmek istedi. - The woman wanted to rest a bit because she was unwell.

rahatsız = unwell, uncomfortable
olduğu = “that (she) was,” formed from olmak (to be) + -(y)DIK nominalizer + 3rd person possessive (-u) → ol-du-ğu
için = for/because of

Turkish uses a nominalized clause before için. You can’t attach için to a bare adjective like “rahatsız”; you need a verb (here, olmak) turned into a noun-like form: “(her) being unwell.”

Why can’t I say “rahatsızdı için”?

Because için requires a noun or a nominalized clause, not a finite verb form. Use either:

rahatsız olduğu için (nominalized clause + için), or
a two-clause solution with çünkü: Kadın biraz dinlenmek istedi çünkü rahatsızdı.

How does the -(y)DIK + possessive + için structure work?

It’s the standard way to say “because …” with a subordinate clause:

Base: take a clause and nominalize it with -(y)DIK, then add a possessive suffix that matches the subject of that clause, then add için.
Example with same subject: [rahatsız ol-du-ğu] için = “because (she) was unwell.”
Example with “I”: [gecik-tiğ-im] için özür dilerim = “I apologize because I was late.” Suffixes:
-(y)DIK shows up as -dık/-dik/-duk/-dük (vowel harmony). Before a vowel-initial suffix (like possessive), -k softens to -ğ-: -dık + ı → -dığı, -duk + u → -duğu, etc.

Do I need to mark the subject of the reason clause in the genitive (e.g., “kadının”)?

If the subject of the reason clause is the same as the main clause subject, you usually omit the genitive: Kadın [rahatsız olduğu için]…
If it’s different, mark that subject in genitive inside the reason clause:
- Onun rahatsız olduğu için kadın biraz dinlenmek istedi. = “Because he/she was unwell, the woman wanted to rest a little.”
- Kocasının rahatsız olduğu için kadın işten erken çıktı. = “Because her husband was unwell, the woman left work early.” Using the genitive even when subjects match (e.g., Kadının rahatsız olduğu için…) is possible but often feels heavy or over-explicit in everyday style.

Where is the “she” in Turkish? Why isn’t there a pronoun?

Turkish usually drops subject pronouns because the verb morphology and context make the subject clear. İstedi already encodes 3rd person singular (“he/she/it wanted”), and kadın is the subject, so no o (“she”) is needed.

What’s the difference between using “için” and “çünkü” to say “because”?

için is a postposition that follows a noun/nominalized clause: [rahatsız olduğu] için. It integrates the reason as a single unit.
çünkü introduces a full finite clause: … çünkü rahatsızdı. Both are common. Style-wise, çünkü often comes after the main clause to give an explanation; için often precedes it, but can also follow.

Can I say “rahatsız olduğundan (dolayı)” instead?

Yes:

rahatsız olduğundan = “since/because (she) is/was unwell” (ablative of the same nominalized clause)
rahatsız olduğundan dolayı = a bit more formal/literary All three are fine: … olduğu için, … olduğundan, … olduğundan dolayı.

How do I pronounce “olduğu”? What does ğ do?

ğ (yumuşak g) isn’t pronounced like a hard “g.” It lengthens/smooths the preceding vowel. olduğu sounds roughly like “ol-duu,” with a gentle glide between the two “u” vowels.

What does “biraz” do here, and where does it go?

biraz means “a little / a bit / somewhat.” Here it modifies the action “to rest”: biraz dinlenmek = “to rest a little.” It typically comes immediately before the verb or verbal noun it modifies: Kadın biraz dinlenmek istedi. Placing it after the verb phrase is not natural.

Why is “dinlenmek” in the -mek/-mak form (infinitive)?

After istemek (“to want”), Turkish uses an infinitive (a verbal noun) for the wanted action: dinlenmek istedi = “(she) wanted to rest.” This is the default pattern with istemek.

What’s the difference between “dinlenmek istedi” and “dinlenmeyi istedi”?

Both are grammatical:

dinlenmek istedi: neutral, the most common way to say “wanted to rest.”
dinlenmeyi istedi: treats the action as a definite object; it’s more specific/emphatic and is preferred when contrasting options or specifying exactly what was desired.
- Contrast: Sinemaya gitmeyi değil, dinlenmeyi istedi.

How do I negate this idea correctly?

Negate istemek, not the infinitive:

Kadın rahatsız olmadığı için dinlenmek istemedi. = “Because she was not unwell, she didn’t want to rest.”
In general: [reason] + [V-mek/-mak] istemedi = “didn’t want to [verb].”

What’s the nuance of “istedi” vs “istiyordu” vs “istemiş/istemişti”?

istedi: simple, definite past (“she wanted”). Factual, speaker-witnessed tone.
istiyordu: past continuous (“she was wanting/used to want”). Background or ongoing desire; softer, more descriptive.
istemiş: reported/inferential past (“apparently she wanted” / “it seems she wanted”).
istemişti: pluperfect (“she had wanted”), earlier-in-the-past relative to another past point.

Does “rahatsız” mean the same thing as “hasta”?

Not exactly:

rahatsız: unwell, uncomfortable, feeling off; also “disturbed/bothered” depending on context.
hasta: sick/ill (stronger, more clinical). Here it’s “unwell.”

Can I move the reason clause to the end?

Yes:

Kadın rahatsız olduğu için biraz dinlenmek istedi. (reason first)
Kadın biraz dinlenmek istedi, rahatsız olduğu için. (reason after; comma helps) Or switch to çünkü for a two-clause structure:
Kadın biraz dinlenmek istedi çünkü rahatsızdı.

Are “dinlenmek” (to rest) and “dinlemek” (to listen) related?

They look similar but are different verbs:

dinlenmek = to rest (intransitive; note the -n-)
dinlemek = to listen (transitive) Don’t confuse them: biraz dinlenmek = “to rest a bit,” not “to listen a bit.”

Why is there no “the” before “woman”? How do I know if it’s “the woman” or “a woman”?

Turkish has no articles. Kadın can be “the woman” or “a woman” depending on context. If you want to make it explicitly indefinite, use bir: Bir kadın rahatsız olduğu için… = “A woman, because she was unwell, …” Context usually tells you whether it’s definite or not.