Breakdown of صدفی که آب از آن میریزد، زیبا است.
است
is
آن
that
زیباzibâ
beautiful
آبâb
water
ازaz
from
کهke
that (conjunction)
ریختنrikhtan
to fall (hair, leaves) / to spill / pour
صدفsadaf
shell
Questions & Answers about صدفی که آب از آن میریزد، زیبا است.
Why does sadaf (shell) have an -i at the end if the translation says "the shell"?
In Farsi, when a noun is described by a relative clause starting with ke (that/which), it usually takes the -i suffix. So sadafi ke... means "the shell that...". It acts as a bridge linking the noun to its description.
Why is az ân (from it) used inside the relative clause?
This is a major difference between English and Farsi! In English, we just say "the shell that water pours from". In Farsi, the relative word ke cannot attach to a preposition. Instead, you must use a complete prepositional phrase inside the clause: literally, "the shell that water pours from it". This az ân (from it) is called a resumptive pronoun.
Does mi-rizad mean "pours" or "is pouring"?
It can mean both! The mi- prefix added to the present stem riz (from the infinitive rikhtan, meaning to pour or spill) creates the present indicative tense. Depending on the context, it translates to the habitual "pours" or the continuous "is pouring".
Why is the main verb ast (is) pushed to the very end of the sentence?
The core sentence is simply sadafi [...] zibaa ast (the shell is beautiful). The relative clause ke aab az aan mi-rizad is inserted right after the noun it describes. Because Farsi puts verbs at the end of their respective clauses, the main verb ast must wait until the very end of the entire sentence.
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