Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

Before going shopping, you should read this list carefully.

Breakdown of Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

• bu: this
• gitmek: to go
• okumak: to read
• alışveriş: the shopping
• liste: the list
• önce: before
• -e: to
• dikkatle: carefully
• -meden: before

Questions & Answers about Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

Why is it alışverişe and not just alışveriş?

In Turkish, the verb gitmek (to go) normally takes the dative case (the -e / -a ending) to show the destination:

• alışveriş = shopping (noun)
• alışverişe = to (go) shopping

So alışverişe gitmek literally means “to go to shopping” or “to go for shopping.”

The ending -e on alışverişe is:

• the dative case marker (“to, towards”)
• chosen as -e (not -a) because of vowel harmony (the last vowel in alışveriş is i, a front vowel, so we use the front version -e).

How is gitmeden formed, and what does it mean exactly?

gitmeden comes from the verb gitmek (to go) and is a kind of “-ing” form that means “without going” or in combination with önce, “before (someone) goes.”

Formation (simplified for learners):

• git- (verb stem)
• • -meden (converb ending with negative meaning)

So:

• gitmeden = without going / before (someone) goes

In this sentence, because it’s followed by önce, the meaning is “before going (shopping)”:

• alışverişe gitmeden önce = before going shopping

Note on the form:

• After consonant-final verbs like git-, you add -meden.
• After some verbs you see -madan instead, depending on vowel harmony:
  • yemeden – before/without eating (from yemek)
  • yapmadan – before/without doing (from yapmak)

What is the role of önce, and why does it come after gitmeden?

önce means “before / earlier”.

The construction:

• [verb]meden önce = before [doing]

So:

• alışverişe gitmeden önce = before going shopping

Word order:

• In Turkish, önce normally comes after the verb form gitmeden:
  • gitmeden önce (natural)
  • önce gitmeden (sounds odd/wrong in this meaning)

You can move the whole time phrase around, but gitmeden and önce stay together:

• Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.
• Bu listeyi, alışverişe gitmeden önce dikkatle okumalısın.

Both are correct; the difference is mostly emphasis.

Why is there no word for “you” in the sentence?

Turkish usually drops subject pronouns because the person is already clear from the verb ending.

The verb okumalısın ends with -sın, which marks second person singular (you), so sen is not needed:

• okumalısın = you must / should read

You can add sen for emphasis:

• Sen, alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

This sounds like “You (in particular) should read this list carefully before going shopping.”

What exactly does okumalısın mean, and how is it built?

okumalısın expresses obligation or strong advice, somewhere between “you should read” and “you must read.” Context decides how strong it feels.

Structure:

• oku- = read (verb stem)
• -malı = necessity / obligation suffix
• -sın = you (2nd person singular) ending

So:

• okumalısın = you should / must read

Other persons:

• okumalıyım – I should/must read
• okumalıyız – we should/must read
• okumalısınız – you (plural/formal) should/must read

Compared to:

• okumalısın – strong advice / soft “must”
• okumak zorundasın – you are obliged / you have to (stronger)

Why does bu listeyi have the ending -yi? Why not just bu liste?

The -yi on listeyi is the accusative case marker, used for definite direct objects (things like “this list,” “the book”).

Breakdown:

• bu liste = this list (subject or indefinite object form)
• bu listeyi = this list (as a specific, definite object)

The verb okumak (to read) takes its object in the accusative when it is definite:

• Bu listeyi okumalısın. – You should read this (particular) list.
• Bir liste okumalısın. – You should read a list (no -i, because it’s indefinite).

Why -yi specifically?

• The base accusative ending is -ı / -i / -u / -ü, depending on vowel harmony.
• If the word ends in a vowel (liste), Turkish adds a buffer consonant y:
  • liste + i → listeyi

So bu listeyi = “this list” as a specific object of okumak.

What does dikkatle literally mean, and how is it different from dikkatlice?

Literally:

• dikkat = attention
• -le = with (instrumental suffix)

So dikkatle literally means “with attention”, i.e. “carefully.”

You will also see dikkatlice, formed as:

• dikkatli = careful
• -ce = adverb-forming suffix (“-ly”)

So:

• dikkatle okumak ≈ to read carefully
• dikkatlice okumak ≈ to read carefully

In everyday speech, both are fine and very close in meaning here. dikkatle is slightly more “literal” (with attention), while dikkatlice feels more like a standard adverb (carefully), but in this sentence they are practically interchangeable:

• …bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.
• …bu listeyi dikkatlice okumalısın.

Both sound natural.

How flexible is the word order in this sentence? Can I move things around?

Turkish word order is relatively flexible, but the verb usually comes at the end, and moving things changes emphasis.

Original:

• Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

Some natural variations:

1. Bu listeyi alışverişe gitmeden önce dikkatle okumalısın.
   – Emphasis slightly more on “this list”.

2. Bu listeyi dikkatle, alışverişe gitmeden önce okumalısın.
   – Clear focus on both carefully and before going shopping.

Things to keep:

• The verb (okumalısın) should stay at the end.
• gitmeden önce should stay together:
  
  • ✅ gitmeden önce
  • ❌ önce gitmeden (unnatural in this meaning)

If you separate these or move the verb to the middle, it starts to sound ungrammatical or very marked.

Could I say alışverişten önce instead of alışverişe gitmeden önce? Is there a difference?

Yes, you can say alışverişten önce, and it is correct. The nuance is slightly different.

• alışverişten önce

  • Literally: before the shopping / before shopping
  • Shorter, focuses on the time period before the shopping event in general.

• alışverişe gitmeden önce

  • Literally: before going to shopping
  • Emphasizes the action of going shopping.

In most everyday contexts, they will be understood almost the same:

• Alışverişten önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.
• Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.

Both are natural. The version in your sentence gives a bit more explicitness about “before you go out to shop.”

How would the sentence change if I were talking to more than one person or being more formal?

You mainly change the verb ending.

Current (informal “you” singular):

• okumalısın = you (one person, informal) should/must read

Plural/formal you:

• okumalısınız = you (plural or polite) should/must read

So the formal/plural version:

• Alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısınız.

You can make it even more polite by adding lütfen (please):

• Lütfen alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısınız.
  (More natural: Lütfen alışverişe gitmeden önce bu listeyi dikkatle okuyun. – using the polite imperative okuyun.)

How would I say “after going shopping” instead of “before going shopping”?

To say “after going shopping”, you switch from gitmeden önce (before going) to a “-diktan sonra” structure (after doing).

Pattern:

• gitmek → gittikten sonra = after (someone) goes

So:

• Alışverişe gittikten sonra bu listeyi dikkatle okumalısın.
  = You should read this list carefully after going shopping.

Breakdown:

• git- = go
• -ti (t doubled from d) + k → -dik (verbal noun)
• -ten (from -den) = ablative (“from”)
• sonra = after

Together: gittikten sonra = after going.