Breakdown of Ayıp bir şey söyledi diye ona küstüm.
bir
a / an
o
that / he / she / it
söylemek
to say, to sing
şey
thing
Questions & Answers about Ayıp bir şey söyledi diye ona küstüm.
How does diye mean "because" in this sentence?
The word diye literally means "saying," but in informal Turkish, it is often used right after a complete sentence to mean "because." Here, Ayıp bir şey söyledi (He said a shameful thing) is a full, normal sentence. Adding diye after it links it to the main action (ona küstüm) as the reason why you got offended.
Could I use için or çünkü instead of diye here?
Yes, but the structure would change. With çünkü, you put it between the two clauses: Ona küstüm çünkü ayıp bir şey söyledi. With için, you must change the verb into a verbal noun with a possessive suffix: Ayıp bir şey söylediği için ona küstüm. Using a regular, finite verb followed by diye is a much simpler shortcut that is very common in casual speech.
Why is it ona (to him) and not onu (him) before küstüm?
The verb küsmek (to get offended by, or to give someone the silent treatment) requires the dative case in Turkish. Think of it as directing your offense "to" someone. That is why we use ona (to him or her) instead of the accusative onu.
What exactly does ayıp mean in this context?