Breakdown of ما به سمت دروازهای رفتیم که آرامگاه پشت آن است.
است
is
ما
we
آن
that
پشتposht
behind
رفتنraftan
to go
کهke
that (conjunction)
به سمتbe samt-e
towards
آرامگاهârâmgâh
tomb
دروازهdarvâze
gate
Questions & Answers about ما به سمت دروازهای رفتیم که آرامگاه پشت آن است.
Why does the Farsi sentence use آن (it) instead of translating "which" directly after "behind"?
In English, we can say "behind which", combining the preposition with the relative pronoun. Farsi relative clauses starting with که (ke) don't work like this. You have to put the preposition in its normal place inside the clause and add a pronoun that refers back to the noun. So literally, Farsi says "...the gate that the tomb is behind it" (پشت آن). The resumptive pronoun آن is required here!
What is the ای (-i) at the end of دروازهای (darvâze-i) doing?
While it looks like the indefinite suffix meaning "a" or "an", here it acts as a "restrictive -i". It signals that a specific description is coming right up. It links the noun دروازه (gate) directly to the که clause that explains exactly which gate we mean. Because دروازه ends in a silent 'h' (a vowel sound), the suffix takes the form ای.
How is the word آرامگاه (ârâmgâh, tomb) formed?
It is a compound made of آرام (ârâm), meaning "peace" or "quiet", and the suffix گاه (-gâh), which means "place of". So, a tomb is literally a "place of peace" or "resting place". You will see this suffix in other location words like دانشگاه (university, "place of knowledge") or فرودگاه (airport, "place of descent").
Does به سمت (be samt) require an ezafe to connect to the gate?
Yes! به سمت literally translates to "to the direction (of)". The word سمت (samt) needs an unseen ezafe (a short 'e' sound) to link it to the noun it modifies. When spoken, it is pronounced "be samt-e darvâze-i".
Learn ما به سمت دروازهای رفتیم که آرامگاه پشت آن است and more in Farsi
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free