Learn Turkish: Eğer merkeze gidiyorsa, taksiye bineceğine metroya binmeli. - If she is going to the center, instead of taking a taxi, she should get on the subway.

Eğer merkeze gidiyorsa, taksiye bineceğine metroya binmeli.

If she is going to the center, instead of taking a taxi, she should get on the subway.

Breakdown of Eğer merkeze gidiyorsa, taksiye bineceğine metroya binmeli.

Questions & Answers about Eğer merkeze gidiyorsa, taksiye bineceğine metroya binmeli.

Break down how bineceğine translates to "instead of taking".

This word uses the "instead of" structure you are learning now. It is made of the verb root bin (get on) + future suffix -ecek (which mutates to -eceğ) + 3rd person singular possessive -i (her) + buffer -n- + dative -e. Together, the pattern -(y)AcAğInA translates to "instead of doing [verb]".

Why do both vehicles in this sentence take the dative case (taksiye, metroya)?

The verb binmek (to get on / to take a vehicle) always requires the dative case for the vehicle being boarded. Even though in English we say "take a taxi" using a direct object, Turkish logic is closer to "get onto a taxi".

Is the word Eğer required to make this an "if" sentence?

No, the "if" meaning actually comes entirely from the conditional suffix -sa at the end of gidiyorsa. The word Eğer is optional and just acts as an early signal to the listener that a condition is coming.

How does binmeli mean "she should get on"?

The suffix -meli (or -malı depending on vowel harmony) expresses obligation or strong advice. Attached to the verb root bin-, it creates binmeli (she should/must get on). There is no personal suffix added here, which means it defaults to the 3rd person (he/she/it).