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Questions & Answers about ما ایرانیایم.
Where is the verb 'are' in this sentence?
It is the ending -im attached to the word irâni (Iranian). In Farsi, these short 'to be' verbs act like suffixes that glue onto the end of the previous word. Since the subject is mâ (we), the matching verb ending is always -im.
Why is the ending written as ایم here instead of just attaching a single letter?
The word irâni ends in the vowel sound 'i' (written with ی). The verb ending -im also starts with a vowel. To prevent the vowels from crashing together, Farsi spelling rules require us to write the ending with an Alef as ایم when attaching it to a word that already ends in a vowel.
Do I have to make the word irâni plural because the subject 'we' is plural?
No, you do not. When an adjective or a nationality describes a subject using a 'to be' verb, it stays in its singular form. Even though mâ (we) is plural, irâni remains unchanged.
Could I drop the word mâ and just say the second part?
Absolutely! Because the verb ending -im perfectly tells us that the subject is 'we', the pronoun mâ is completely optional. Including it here just adds a little bit of emphasis.