Breakdown of ما بدون اینکه گارسون را ببینیم، پیشغذای سردی سفارش دادیم.
ما
we
سردsard
cold
دیدنdidan
to see / to watch
راrâ
definite direct object marker
Questions & Answers about ما بدون اینکه گارسون را ببینیم، پیشغذای سردی سفارش دادیم.
Where does the indefinite enclitic '-i' (meaning 'a' or 'an') attach in the phrase pish-ghazâ-ye sard-i?
It attaches to the very end of the noun phrase, right after the adjective sard (cold). When you have a noun followed by an adjective connected by an Ezafe, the indefinite -i goes on the adjective, not the noun itself.
Why does gârson get the object marker râ, but pish-ghazâ-ye sard-i does not?
The marker râ is only used for specific, definite direct objects. Since we are talking about a specific waiter (the waiter), it takes râ. The appetizer is indefinite (a cold appetizer), which is shown by the -i ending, so it does not use râ.
Why is the verb bebinim (we see) in the subjunctive form here?
It follows the phrase bedun-e inke (without). In Farsi, expressing 'without doing something' requires a full clause with the verb in the subjunctive mood, because it describes an action that did not actually happen or was avoided.
Literally translated, how does the structure of bedun-e inke work in this sentence?
It literally translates to 'without this that.' The word bedun-e means 'without,' and inke acts as a bridge so you can follow it with a full conjugated clause ('we see the waiter') instead of just a noun.