Breakdown of آنها از اینکه دوستشان سیگار میکشد بیخبر هستند.
آنها
they
دوستdust
friend
بودنbudan
to be
ازaz
from
سیگار کشیدنsigâr keshidan
to smoke
اینکهin-ke
that (conjunction)
بیخبرbikhabar
unaware / uninformed
Questions & Answers about آنها از اینکه دوستشان سیگار میکشد بیخبر هستند.
Why do we say az in ke (از اینکه) here instead of just ke (که) for 'that'?
In Farsi, the adjective bi-khabar (بیخبر, unaware) requires the preposition az (از, of/from). However, prepositions cannot attach directly to a clause starting with ke. To fix this, we insert in (این, this) as a bridge. So az in ke literally means 'of this, that...' or 'of the fact that...'.
Since the sentence uses a subordinate clause with in ke, shouldn't the verb mi-kashad (میکشد) be in the subjunctive mood?
Not here! Whether you use the indicative or subjunctive after in ke depends on the meaning of the clause. Because the friend actually smokes—it is an established, real fact—we use the indicative present (mi-kashad). You only use the subjunctive if the clause describes a desire, doubt, or something that hasn't happened yet.
How is the word bi-khabar (بیخبر) constructed?
It is built from the prefix bi- (بی, without) and the noun khabar (خبر, news). Literally meaning 'without news,' it functions as an adjective meaning 'unaware' or 'clueless.' Thinking of it as 'having no news from/of something' helps you remember why it pairs with the preposition az.
Could we say dust-e ānhā (دوست آنها) instead of dust-e-shān (دوستشان)?
Yes, both mean 'their friend' and are completely correct. While dust-e ānhā uses the separate pronoun, attaching the possessive suffix -shān (ـشان) directly to the noun is much more common and sounds more natural in everyday speech.
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