Shouldn't this be "Tom cep telefonunu cevap vermiyor."? The only reason I even noticed is because I was looking for a good example of the dative case for "cep telefonu." How about "I am calling to a cell phone abroad"? Wouldn't "cell phone" need to be in dative case in such a sentence? Thanks in advance for any who can help answer this.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org...=chromex-tb-ex

As 123 said.

Thanks, 123xyz. Your explanation:

"The verb "cevap vermek" requires the dative with telephones, and this sentence does indeed contain the dative (telefonunA). The accusative (telefonunU) would be incorrect, as far as I know."

cleared it up for me really well.

You asked "Why do you suggest it [accusative] instead of the dative?" I don't really have a good answer. I suppose it is because, as a native English speaker, I have never really had to learn many grammar rules about dative case (or cases in general) and I have this really strong tendency to see a word as something that should take accusative case. I really have to struggle to see/remember that a word needs to be in the dative case in certain instances. When it is a noun to which something is given, such as "I gave Tom the phone," it is easy to see what is the direct object and what is an indirect object of the verb, but not all sentences are so cut and dry.

I've also been taught that in sentences like the following:

"He built me a snowman"

"snowman" is always the direct object (and in need of accusative case). It doesn't have to be immediately next to the verb. It is "what" the subject is building. I know this is going off on a tangent, but I just read a portion of a Wikipedia page that seems to contradict this.

Regardless, thanks for your help on this.

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