Learn Hardcore Turkish: Oy vermek yerine şikâyet etmek adil olmaz. - Complaining instead of voting wouldn’t be fair.

Literally, oy vermek is “to give a vote.” Turkish often uses a noun + a light verb to express what English treats as a simple verb. Other natural ways to say “to vote” are:

oy kullanmak (very common; literally “to use a vote”)
oy atmak (colloquial; “to cast a vote”) Note: oylamak means “to put something to a vote” or “to vote on (a proposal),” not the general act of going to vote in an election.

Why is şikâyet etmek two words? Can’t I just use şikâyet as a verb?

Turkish often forms verbs with a light verb, commonly etmek or olmak, attached to a noun of action. Şikâyet is a noun (“complaint”), and şikâyet etmek literally means “to make/do a complaint,” i.e., “to complain.” You can’t use şikâyet by itself as a verb. Related alternatives:

şikâyette bulunmak (more formal: “to lodge a complaint”)
şikâyetçi olmak (to be complainant; also “to complain/be resentful”)
yakınmak (native Turkish verb, “to complain,” slightly different register)

What does yerine do here, and what’s the pattern?

Yerine is a postposition meaning “instead of / in place of.” The pattern is:

X yerine Y = “Y instead of X.” In the sentence, Oy vermek is X, şikâyet etmek is Y, so it means “complaining instead of voting.” Keep X and Y adjacent to yerine to avoid ambiguity.

Do I need the genitive with yerine, like oy vermenin yerine?

With nouns and pronouns, yerine often takes a genitive complement, and with pronouns it’s required:

benim yerime (instead of me), onun yerine (instead of him/her/it) With proper names, both are possible: Ayşe’nin yerine / Ayşe yerine. With verb phrases, both the bare infinitive and the genitive nominal are possible:
Common and lighter: oy vermek yerine
Also acceptable but heavier: oy vermenin yerine (here vermek → verme
- genitive -nin) The bare infinitive is the default in everyday speech.

Why are oy vermek and şikâyet etmek in the -mek form?

The -mek/-mak form is the infinitive. Postpositions like yerine need a nominal (noun-like) complement. Turning verbs into infinitives makes them behave like nouns: “the act of voting,” “complaining.” Hence oy vermek and şikâyet etmek.

Could I use the suffix -mektense instead of yerine to mean “rather than/instead of”?

Yes. You can say:

Oy vermektense şikâyet etmek adil olmaz. Here -den/-dan + se attaches to the infinitive: vermektense, şikâyet etmektense, etc. The meaning and order are the same: “Rather than X, Y.”

Can I switch the order and say Şikâyet etmek yerine oy vermek…?

You can, but it flips the meaning. X yerine Y means “Y instead of X.” So:

Oy vermek yerine şikâyet etmek = “complaining instead of voting”
Şikâyet etmek yerine oy vermek = “voting instead of complaining”

What tense/aspect is olmaz? Does it mean “is not” or “would not be”?

Olmaz is the negative aorist (general present) of olmak. It often expresses general rules, norms, or judgments. Depending on context, English can render it as:

“is not acceptable/fair (in general)”
“wouldn’t be fair” (normative/hypothetical tone) So the sentence can be understood as a general judgment or a mild hypothetical.

Why use adil olmaz instead of adil değil?

Adil olmaz (negative aorist) conveys a more general or normative judgment: “That wouldn’t be fair / That’s not done.”
Adil değil is the plain present negation “is not fair,” more descriptive and immediate. Both are correct; with this kind of moral/practical judgment, adil olmaz is very idiomatic.

Is adil değildir possible?

Yes. Adil değildir adds formality or emphasis to “is not fair.” It’s common in careful writing or official speech. Nuance-wise:

adil değil: neutral, everyday
adil değildir: formal/emphatic
adil olmaz: normative/general rule, often the most natural here

Is the circumflex in şikâyet necessary? What if I write şikayet?

You’ll see both. The circumflex marks a length/palatal quality historically and helps distinguish pronunciation in some words. Many people omit it in everyday writing, and you’ll often see şikayet. In careful writing, şikâyet is preferred; neither will confuse readers.

Why not yerinde instead of yerine?

Yerinde means “in its place” or “apt/appropriate” (e.g., yerinde bir karar = “an appropriate decision”). Yerine (dative) in the postposition X’in yerine means “instead of X.” They are different words/uses; yerinde would be wrong here.

What is the subject of the sentence? It feels like there isn’t one.

The entire infinitival phrase Oy vermek yerine şikâyet etmek functions as the subject (“complaining instead of voting”). Turkish uses nominalized verb phrases as subjects/objects very naturally. The only finite verb is olmaz (3rd person), agreeing with that subject phrase.

Any common alternatives for oy vermek and şikâyet etmek I should know?

Voting: oy vermek, oy kullanmak (very common), oy atmak (colloquial).
Complaining: şikâyet etmek (standard), şikâyette bulunmak (formal), yakınmak (native Turkish, “to complain/grumble”).

How would I say “Instead of voting, you complain” with a personal subject?

(Sen) oy vermek yerine şikâyet ediyorsun. You can add the pronoun for emphasis; it’s optional. Other persons:
(Biz) oy vermek yerine şikâyet ediyoruz.
(Onlar) oy vermek yerine şikâyet ediyorlar.

Could I say Oy vermek yerine şikâyet etmek adilce olmaz?

That’s not idiomatic. Adilce is an adverb (“fairly, in a fair manner”), which doesn’t fit well here. Use the adjective with olmak: adil olmaz (the natural choice) or something like haksızlık olur (“it would be an injustice”).

Do I need a comma anywhere in this sentence?

No comma is required. You might see a comma after a long fronted phrase for readability, but with the fixed pattern X yerine Y, keep X and Y adjacent: Oy vermek yerine şikâyet etmek adil olmaz (no comma).

What’s the difference between olmaz and olamaz here?

olmaz: “(it) isn’t acceptable / wouldn’t be okay” — a normative refusal or general judgment.
olamaz: “cannot be / impossible.”
In your sentence, olmaz is right because you’re making a fairness judgment, not stating logical impossibility.