Breakdown of Ben ona iğne olmasını önerdim ama o beni dinlemiyor.
o
that / he / she / it
ben
I
dinlemek
to listen
olmak
to be
ama
but
önermek
to suggest / recommend
iğne
needle / injection
Questions & Answers about Ben ona iğne olmasını önerdim ama o beni dinlemiyor.
How does olmasını break down, and why is it used here?
It breaks down as ol-ma-sı-n-ı. The -ma turns the verb into a short noun ("getting"). The -sı is the possessive suffix meaning "his/her", so it literally means "his getting". After the buffer -n-, the final -ı is the accusative case marker, which is required by the main verb önermek (to suggest). You are literally saying "I suggested his getting an injection."
Does iğne olmak literally mean "to become a needle"?
Literally, yes! But it is the standard Turkish expression for "to get an injection" or "to get a shot." You will see olmak used in several health-related phrases, like hasta olmak (to get sick) or ameliyat olmak (to have surgery).
Why do we use the dative ona in the first half of the sentence?
The verb önermek (to advise or suggest) requires the dative case for the person receiving the advice. You suggest an action (which takes the accusative, olmasını) to someone (ona).
Why is it beni dinlemiyor instead of bana dinlemiyor? Doesn't English say "listen to me"?
This is a common trap! In English, we listen to someone, but the Turkish verb dinlemek takes a direct object. You are directly "listening" the person, so they must take the accusative case (beni).
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