Breakdown of آنها به ما گفتند که مختصات محرمانه را روی یک فرکانس جدید میفرستند.
ما
we
آنها
they
رویruye
on
جدیدjadid
new
یکyek
one / a, an
بهbe
to
گفتنgoftan
to say / to tell
راrâ
definite direct object marker
فرستادنferestâdan
to send
کهke
that (conjunction)
محرمانهmahramâne
confidential
فرکانسfrekâns
frequency
مختصاتmokhtassât
coordinates
Questions & Answers about آنها به ما گفتند که مختصات محرمانه را روی یک فرکانس جدید میفرستند.
Why is میفرستند (present tense) used here when the English translation says they were sending?
This is a key difference between Farsi and English reported speech! In English, we shift the tense back because the telling happened in the past. In Farsi, you keep the exact tense the original speaker used. The original quote was 'we are sending,' so Farsi keeps the present tense (میفرستند) in the reported sentence.
Can I drop the word که (that) here like we often do in English?
Yes, just like in English, the conjunction که is optional in reported speech. You could perfectly well say آنها به ما گفتند مختصات محرمانه را and continue the sentence without changing the meaning or sounding unnatural.
Why is the direct object marker را placed after the adjective محرمانه instead of the noun مختصات?
The word را must always follow the entire noun phrase it applies to, not just the core noun. Since the direct object is the full phrase 'the secret coordinates', را goes at the very end of that group.
Is it normal to use the preposition روی (on) for a frequency in Farsi?
Yes! Just like in English where you send signals 'on a frequency' or listen 'on the radio', Farsi uses روی (literally 'on' or 'on top of') for broadcasting channels.
The second half of the sentence translates to 'they were sending', but I don't see a second آنها (they). Why is it missing?
Farsi verbs already contain the subject in their endings. The -ند ending on میفرستند clearly means 'they'. While you could repeat آنها, it is much more natural to drop it in the second clause to avoid sounding repetitive.
Learn آنها به ما گفتند که مختصات محرمانه را روی یک فرکانس جدید میفرستند 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