Word
تهران هم یکی از بزرگترین و هم یکی از شلوغترین پایتختهای آسیا است.
Meaning
Tehran is both one of the biggest and one of the most crowded capitals in Asia.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of تهران هم یکی از بزرگترین و هم یکی از شلوغترین پایتختهای آسیا است.
است
is
و
and
شلوغsholugh
crowded / busy
بزرگbozorg
big / large
Questions & Answers about تهران هم یکی از بزرگترین و هم یکی از شلوغترین پایتختهای آسیا است.
Why is the noun پایتختهای (capitals) plural here, when superlatives usually take singular nouns in Farsi?
Normally, a superlative adjective is followed by a singular noun in Farsi. However, because we are using the یکی از (one of the) construction, we are talking about one item out of a larger group. Because of this, the noun must be plural, just like in English: 'one of the biggest capitals'.
Why doesn't the first superlative phrase (یکی از بزرگترین) have a noun right after it?
The plural noun پایتختهای (capitals) belongs to both of the superlative phrases. To sound more natural and avoid repeating the word 'capitals' twice, Farsi simply drops it from the first half of the sentence. You just wait to say it until after the second superlative.
How does the هم ... و هم ... structure work in this sentence?
The structure هم ... و هم ... means 'both ... and ...'. It is used to link two parallel ideas and emphasize that both are true. Here, it elegantly wraps around the two repeated یکی از phrases to say Tehran is 'both' one of the biggest 'and' one of the most crowded.
Is there an Ezafe connecting the superlative adjectives to the noun?
No. Superlative adjectives ending in ـترین (-tarin) always come directly before the noun they modify, and they do not use an Ezafe connector. There is, however, an Ezafe at the end of پایتختهای (paytakht-ha-ye) to connect 'capitals' to 'Asia'.