Question 1

How do you literally translate گفته می‌شود که, and how is it formed?

Accepted Answer

It translates literally to 'It is said that'. It is formed using the past participle of گفتن (to say), which is گفته, combined with the third-person singular present of the passive auxiliary verb شدن (to become), giving us می‌شود. Farsi keeps this impersonal structure rather than saying 'The talisman is said to...' like in English.

Question 2

I usually expect the subjunctive after که (that). Why is نجات داده است (has saved) in the indicative mood instead?

Accepted Answer

We use the subjunctive after که for wishes, doubt, or obligations. However, impersonal reporting verbs like گفته می‌شود (it is said) are used to report a supposed fact or event. Because it reports an action that is believed to have happened, the following verb stays in the normal indicative mood—in this case, the present perfect tense.

Question 3

Why is the object marker را attached to پادشاه instead of طلسم?

Accepted Answer

In the phrase after که, این طلسم (this talisman) is the subject because it is doing the saving. پادشاه (the king) is the specific person receiving the action (being saved), which makes him the definite direct object. Definite direct objects in Farsi must always be followed by را.

Question 4

The Farsi word طلسم looks and sounds a bit like the English word 'talisman'. Are they related?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they are! The English word 'talisman' traces its roots back through Arabic and Greek. Farsi uses the exact same Arabic loanword, طلسم (telesm), to mean a magic charm, spell, or talisman.

گفته می‌شود که این طلسم پادشاه را نجات داده است.

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