Breakdown of ما هزینه را پوشش میدهیم، مگر اینکه مبلغ خیلی زیاد باشد.
ما
we
خیلی
very / many (of)
بودنbudan
to be
زیادziyâd
a lot
Questions & Answers about ما هزینه را پوشش میدهیم، مگر اینکه مبلغ خیلی زیاد باشد.
Why does this sentence end with باشد instead of the usual word for 'is' (است)?
The phrase مگر اینکه (unless) creates a condition or exception. In Farsi, verbs following مگر اینکه must be in the present subjunctive form. باشد is the present subjunctive form of the verb 'to be'.
Can I just say مگر instead of مگر اینکه?
Not in this sentence! مگر on its own usually means 'except' and is followed by a noun. Because you are introducing a full new phrase with its own verb, you need to use مگر اینکه (unless).
The word زیاد usually means 'much' or 'a lot'. Why is it translated as 'high' here?
When talking about costs, prices, or amounts in Farsi, native speakers use زیاد (much/a lot) and کم (little). You would not use the literal Farsi words for 'high' or 'low' for an amount of money.
How does the verb پوشش میدهیم work?
It is a compound verb made of the noun پوشش (cover or coverage) and the verb دادن (to give). Here it is conjugated for 'we' in the present tense: می + دهیم. So it literally translates to 'we give cover'.
Just to review, why is را placed after (cost)?