Questions & Answers about شاید آنها ماشین جدید بخرند.
Why does the verb بخرند look different from a normal present tense verb?
Because it is in the present subjunctive form! The word شاید (maybe) creates doubt or uncertainty. In Farsi, words like 'maybe', 'must', or 'want to' force the following verb into the subjunctive.
How exactly do we build the subjunctive verb بخرند here?
The recipe for the present subjunctive is: بـ (be-) + present stem + personal ending. For the verb 'to buy' (kharidan), the present stem is خر (khar). Add the prefix بـ (be-) and the 'they' ending ـند (-and), giving us بخرند (bekharand).
Where is the word for 'a' in 'a new car'?
Farsi often leaves out the word for 'a' when talking about things generally. To connect the noun ماشین (car) to its adjective جدید (new), we just use the hidden 'e' sound called the ezāfe. You pronounce it 'mashin-e jadid', even though the 'e' isn't written in the Persian script!
Can I drop the pronoun آنها (they) since the verb ending already tells us who is buying?
Yes! Because the verb ending ـند (-and) already means 'they', saying آنها is optional. You could simply say شاید ماشین جدید بخرند and it would still mean exactly the same thing.