Breakdown of خیابان لغزنده است، مرد پیر احتیاط میکند مبادا لیز بخورد.
است
is
پیر
old
مردmard
man
خیابانkhiâbân
street
لیز خوردنliz khordan
to slip
احتیاط کردنehtiyât kardan
to take precaution / to be careful (exercising caution)
مباداmabâdâ
lest / so that not
لغزندهlaghzande
slippery
Questions & Answers about خیابان لغزنده است، مرد پیر احتیاط میکند مبادا لیز بخورد.
Why is لیز بخورد positive when the English translation involves a negative meaning like 'so that he doesn't slip'?
The word مبادا (lest / so that not) already contains the negative meaning. Because the negativity is built into مبادا, the following verb لیز بخورد remains in the positive form.
Why do we use the subjunctive form لیز بخورد after مبادا?
مبادا expresses a purpose or a fear of something that might happen. Since slipping is a potential future possibility rather than a certain fact, Farsi requires the present subjunctive mood here.
Could I say this without using the new word مبادا?
Yes, you could replace مبادا لیز بخورد with که لیز نخورد (so that he doesn't slip). Using مبادا is just a slightly more emphatic way to express caution or fear that an unwanted event might happen.
Are لغزنده and لیز خوردن related since they both deal with slipping?
They describe similar concepts but come from different roots. لغزنده is an adjective meaning slippery, formed from the verb لغزیدن (to slip). لیز خوردن is a common compound verb meaning to slip or slide. You will often see them used together in sentences about wet or icy conditions.
Is there a difference between مرد پیر and the compound word پیرمرد?
They both mean old man and are completely interchangeable here. مرد پیر uses a standard ezafe to link the noun to the adjective, while پیرمرد flips the order to create a single compound noun.
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