Meaning
Refusing to listen to others and doing things your way.
Cultural Background
In Turkish culture, 'inat' (stubbornness) is often associated with the city of Rize or the Black Sea region. People from there are jokingly said to 'go to the vertical of their nose' more than anyone else. Respecting the 'büyük' (elder) is a core value. Using this idiom about an elder can be very disrespectful, but an elder using it about a younger person is a common form of 'nasihat' (admonition). As Turkish business culture becomes more globalized, 'burnunun dikine gitmek' is increasingly used to criticize 'micromanagers' or 'autocratic leaders' who don't value feedback. Many classic Turkish films feature a 'stubborn father' character who goes his own way, leading to a dramatic family breakup, only to realize his mistake in the final scene.
Possessive Agreement
Always check who you are talking about. If it's 'we', it must be 'burnumuzun'.
Use with 'Yine'
Adding 'yine' (again) before the phrase makes you sound like a native speaker expressing frustration: 'Yine burnunun dikine gidiyorsun!'
Meaning
Refusing to listen to others and doing things your way.
Possessive Agreement
Always check who you are talking about. If it's 'we', it must be 'burnumuzun'.
Use with 'Yine'
Adding 'yine' (again) before the phrase makes you sound like a native speaker expressing frustration: 'Yine burnunun dikine gidiyorsun!'
Softening the Blow
If you want to be less harsh, use 'Kendi bildiğini okuyorsun' instead.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'burun' and the possessive suffix.
Ben çok inatçıyım, her zaman _______ dikine giderim.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so 'burun' must take the first-person singular possessive suffix '-um' and the genitive '-un'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly to mean 'stubborn'?
Hangisi doğru?
The idiom is 'burnunun dikine gitmek' and it is used when someone ignores advice.
Match the situation to the response.
Situation: Your brother bought a broken car even though you told him not to.
This is the perfect context for the idiom—ignoring a warning and facing the consequences.
Complete the dialogue.
Ayşe: 'Annem dışarı çıkma dedi ama ben çıktım ve ıslandım.' Fatma: 'Neden hep _______?'
Fatma is asking Ayşe (you), so the second-person singular form is required.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesBen çok inatçıyım, her zaman _______ dikine giderim.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so 'burun' must take the first-person singular possessive suffix '-um' and the genitive '-un'.
Hangisi doğru?
The idiom is 'burnunun dikine gitmek' and it is used when someone ignores advice.
Situation: Your brother bought a broken car even though you told him not to.
This is the perfect context for the idiom—ignoring a warning and facing the consequences.
Ayşe: 'Annem dışarı çıkma dedi ama ben çıktım ve ıslandım.' Fatma: 'Neden hep _______?'
Fatma is asking Ayşe (you), so the second-person singular form is required.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes! It's common to say 'Burnumun dikine gittim' when admitting you were stubborn and made a mistake.
90% of the time, yes. It implies that the person is ignoring good advice. Occasionally, it can be used for someone who is very determined, but even then, it has a hint of 'reckless'.
'Dik kafalı' is an adjective (a stubborn person), while 'burnunun dikine gitmek' is the action of being stubborn in a specific situation.
You say: 'Burnunun dikine gitme!'
No, it's entirely about the physical direction the nose points.
No, it's too informal. Use 'kendi görüşlerinde ısrarcı olmak' (to be insistent on one's own views) instead.
Yes, for 'they', use 'burunlarının dikine gitmek'.
There isn't a direct opposite idiom, but 'söz dinlemek' (to listen to advice/be obedient) is the opposite behavior.
Yes, you can use it for a stubborn dog or horse that won't follow commands.
'Dik' implies a certain rigidity or stiffness, which fits the 'stubborn' metaphor better than 'düz' (straight).
Related Phrases
kendi bildiğini okumak
synonymTo do what one knows/thinks is right regardless of others.
dik kafalı
similarStubborn, headstrong (adjective).
nuh deyip peygamber dememek
specialized formTo be extremely, impossibly stubborn.
başına buyruk
similarActing on one's own authority; independent.
burnu havada
contrastArrogant, snobbish.
