Learn Hardcore Turkish: Kapıcı, “Asansörü kullanmayın,” diye uyarı yaptı; emniyet için merdivenden indik. - The doorman warned, “Don’t use the elevator”; for safety we took the stairs down.

Diye is a quotative linker meaning “saying/that.” It connects the quoted words to a reporting verb. Here it links the quoted command to the act of warning: Asansörü kullanmayın, diye uyarı yaptı. You’ll see diye after verbs like demek, söylemek, düşünmek, bağırmak, uyarmak.

It can also mark purpose or reason in other contexts:

Purpose: Üşümeyeyim diye ceket giydim. (I put on a jacket so I won’t get cold.)
Cause/complaint: Geç kaldın diye kızdı. (He got angry because you were late.)

Why uyarı yaptı instead of just uyardı?

Both are correct, with a nuance difference:

Uyardı = “(he/she) warned” (simple, direct verb; very natural).
Uyarı yaptı = “(he/she) made a warning” (lightly more formal or report-like). Other natural options:
Uyarıda bulundu (formal)
İkaz etti (somewhat formal/literary) With a quote, the concise and very common version is: Kapıcı, Asansörü kullanmayın, diye uyardı.

Why is asansörü in the accusative (-ü)? Isn’t the sentence negative?

Accusative marks a definite/specific direct object. Negation doesn’t block the accusative. Here, asansörü means “the (specific) elevator” (e.g., the building’s elevator).

Definite: Asansörü kullanmayın. (Don’t use the elevator.)
Indefinite/generic: Asansör kullanmayın. (Don’t use elevators / Don’t use an elevator.)

Why is the ending -ü in asansörü?

Accusative -(i) follows 4-way vowel harmony. The last vowel in asansör is ö (front, rounded), so -(i) becomes -ü: asansör + -(i) → asansörü. No buffer -y- is needed because the word ends in a consonant. Also, no apostrophe is used because it’s not a proper noun.

What person/number and tone is kullanmayın?

Kullanmayın is the 2nd person plural imperative, which also functions as polite singular. It can address:

multiple people, or
one person politely/formally. On signs or in very formal contexts, you may see kullanmayınız (even more formal/polite). Informal singular would be kullanma (“don’t use” to one person you’re close to).

How is kullanmayın formed?

kullan- (use) + -ma (negation) + -(y)ın (2nd person plural imperative) = kullan-ma-yın → kullanmayın The -y- is a buffer consonant used because -(y)ın starts with a vowel and the negation suffix ends with a vowel.

Why merdivenden (ablative -den)? Could it be merdivene or merdiveni?

The ablative -den marks the route or path you move along/through: merdivenden inmek = “to go down (via) the stairs.”

merdivene (dative) would mean “onto the stairs” (not what we want).
merdiveni (accusative) would mark a definite direct object (not appropriate with inmek here).

Should it be merdivenden or merdivenlerden?

Both are acceptable:

merdivenden indik (singular) — treating “stairs” as a unit; fully natural.
merdivenlerden indik (plural) — also common, emphasizes “the steps/staircase” as multiple steps. Everyday speech may favor the plural slightly, but there’s no real difference in meaning.

Who is the subject of indik? There’s no “we” written.

Turkish drops subject pronouns because verb endings show person/number. İndik is past tense, 1st person plural (“we went down”). You can add Biz for emphasis: Biz emniyet için merdivenden indik, but it’s not required.

Why is it indik and not something like intik?

The past tense suffix is -DI, and its initial consonant assimilates to the voicing of the preceding sound:

After a voiced sound (like n), it stays -di: in- + -di + -k → indik.
After a voiceless sound, it becomes -ti: koş- + -ti → koştu; bak- + -tı → baktı.

Is the semicolon necessary? Could it be a comma or a period?

A semicolon is a good choice to join two closely related independent clauses, especially when the first clause already contains an internal comma. Alternatives:

Period: … diye uyarı yaptı. Emniyet için merdivenden indik.
Conjunction: … diye uyarı yaptı ve emniyet için merdivenden indik. Avoid just a comma between two full clauses (comma splice).

Where should the comma go relative to the closing quotation mark in Turkish?

Standard style (TDK) places the comma outside the closing quotation mark when it belongs to the main sentence, not the quoted words:

Asansörü kullanmayın, diye uyarı yaptı. You’ll often see it inside in everyday writing, but the standard recommendation is outside.

Would asansöre binmeyin be more idiomatic than asansörü kullanmayın?

Both are fine, with a nuance difference:

Asansöre binmeyin = “Don’t get on/use the elevator” (literally “don’t board” the elevator), very idiomatic for elevators, buses, etc.
Asansörü kullanmayın = “Don’t use the elevator” (more general “use”). In a building warning, either works; binmek is very natural for elevators.

emniyet için vs güvenlik için — any difference?

Both mean “for safety,” but:

güvenlik is the everyday word for “safety/security.”
emniyet is more formal/institutional and is also the word for the national police force (Emniyet). So güvenlik için sounds a bit more colloquial; emniyet için feels a touch formal. Both are correct.

Could we rephrase without diye?

Yes. Common options:

Use a colon: Kapıcı uyarı yaptı: Asansörü kullanmayın.
Use the verb “dedi” instead: Kapıcı, Asansörü kullanmayın, dedi. If you use uyardı, it’s most natural to keep diye: Kapıcı, Asansörü kullanmayın, diye uyardı.

Is kapıcı the best word? Any register concerns?

Kapıcı is widely understood as “doorman/janitor” (especially in apartment buildings). Some prefer the more neutral apartman görevlisi or site görevlisi, which can sound more modern/polite. In everyday speech, kapıcı is still common and not unusual.