Breakdown of ودیعهای که آن را برای دستگاه دادم، کجا است؟
است
is
آن
that
برایbarâye
for
دادنdâdan
to give
کجاkojâ
where
راrâ
definite direct object marker
کهke
that (conjunction)
ودیعهvadi'e
deposit
دستگاهdastgâh
machine
Questions & Answers about ودیعهای که آن را برای دستگاه دادم، کجا است؟
Why do we need آن را in this sentence? English just says "the deposit that I paid".
This is how Farsi handles direct objects in که (that/which) clauses. Because you paid the deposit, it is the direct object of the verb دادم (I gave). Farsi requires a pronoun to point back to that object inside the clause. So, you literally say "The deposit that I gave آن را (it) for the machine".
Since "the deposit" is what I paid, why doesn't ودیعه get the object marker را directly?
Because in the main overall sentence, the deposit is actually the subject: ودیعهای ... کجا است؟ (Where is the deposit?). It is only the direct object inside the که clause. That is exactly why we use the pronoun آن inside the clause and attach را to it instead!
If ودیعهای has the indefinite suffix ای, why is it translated as "the deposit" instead of "a deposit"?
When a noun is followed by a که clause that specifically defines it, Farsi attaches this ای suffix to the noun to signal that a description is coming. Even though it is the same suffix used for "a" or "an", in this specific structure it usually translates as "the [noun] that...". (Note: Since ودیعه ends in a silent 'h', it takes ای instead of just ی).
Why is the verb دادم (I gave) used here instead of a verb for "to pay"?
In Farsi, the action for "paying" a deposit or a fee is often expressed with the verb دادن (to give). So you literally say that you "gave" the deposit for the machine.
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