Word
کفشهایم خیلی کثیف است.
Meaning
My shoes are very dirty.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Questions & Answers about کفشهایم خیلی کثیف است.
Why does the sentence end with the singular verb است (is) when 'shoes' is plural?
In Farsi, plural subjects that are not humans (like inanimate objects, plants, or concepts) usually take a singular verb. Since کفشها (shoes) are inanimate objects, we use the singular verb است instead of the plural هستند. This is exactly what your current lesson is covering!
How is the possessive suffix added to make کفشهایم (my shoes)?
It combines کفش (shoe), the plural marker ها, and the 'my' ending ام. Because the plural marker ends in the long vowel ا, Farsi adds a linking consonant ی to make it easier to pronounce. This turns the suffix into یم and gives us کفشهایم.
Does the adjective کثیف (dirty) need a plural ending to match the plural shoes?
No. In Farsi, adjectives never change to agree with the number of the noun they describe. The adjective کثیف stays exactly the same whether you are talking about one dirty shoe or a whole pile of them.
Is it completely wrong to use هستند (are) for inanimate objects like shoes?
While using the singular است is the standard and sounds the most natural in everyday speech, using هستند isn't grammatically illegal. You might occasionally hear native speakers use a plural verb for inanimate objects to emphasize their individuality, or see it in literature to give objects human-like qualities.