Question 1

How does the word که work in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

که works exactly like the word 'that' in English when connecting a verb of knowing, thinking, or speaking to a new idea. It links 'Do you know' (می‌دانید) to the fact being known.

Question 2

Can I drop که in this sentence like we sometimes drop 'that' in English?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in casual spoken Farsi, که is often dropped, just like in English you might say 'Do you know the evil eye is dangerous?'. However, while you are getting used to building these sentences, it is safer to keep it in!

Question 3

چشم‌زخم translates to 'evil eye', but what do the parts of this word literally mean?

Accepted Answer

It is made of two separate words: چشم meaning 'eye', and زخم meaning 'wound' or 'injury'. So it literally means an 'eye-wound' or 'eye-strike', referring to the old cultural belief that a jealous look can cause harm.

Question 4

Do I have to use آیا to ask a yes/no question like this?

Accepted Answer

Not at all! آیا is a formal word used to clearly mark a yes/no question in writing or careful speech. In everyday conversation, you would usually drop آیا and just say شما می‌دانید که... with a rising, questioning tone of voice at the end.

Question 5

Wait, Farsi verbs are supposed to go at the end. Why isn't می‌دانید at the very end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

که splits this sentence into two separate parts, or clauses, and each part puts its own verb at its own end! می‌دانید sits at the end of the first part ('Do you know'), and است sits at the very end of the second part ('the evil eye is dangerous').

آیا شما می‌دانید که چشم‌زخم خطرناک است؟

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