Breakdown of آیا می‌توان لبه را سنباده زد، در حالی که دستیار آن را با گیره نگه می‌دارد؟
آن
that
آیاâyâ
whether (question particle)
باbâ
with
راrâ
definite direct object marker
Questions & Answers about آیا می‌توان لبه را سنباده زد، در حالی که دستیار آن را با گیره نگه می‌دارد؟
Why is the verb نگه می‌دارد in the present indicative here after در حالی که?
The phrase در حالی که (while) shows that two actions are happening at the same time. Because the main clause is talking about a present or general possibility (Can one sand...), the simultaneous action of the assistant holding the edge is put in the present indicative, which is نگه می‌دارد here.
Why is the verb for 'sand' written as سنباده زد (which looks like the past tense) instead of the subjunctive?
The sentence uses می‌توان (one can / it is possible), which is an impersonal modal verb. Unlike the normal personal verb for 'can' which takes the subjunctive, می‌توان is always followed by the short infinitive, which looks identical to the past stem. So we use سنباده زد instead of the subjunctive سنباده بزند.
How is the verb نگه می‌دارد formed?
It comes from the compound verb نگه داشتن (to hold or to keep). In Farsi compound verbs, the present tense prefix می goes between the non-verbal part (نگه) and the conjugated verb part. So نگه + می + دارد (the present stem of داشتن for 'he/she/it') becomes نگه می‌دارد.
Why do we need the word را twice in this sentence?