Breakdown of اگر شرحی را بخوانی، شغل را میفهمی.
خواندنkhândan
to read / to study (a subject)
راrâ
definite direct object marker
فهمیدنfahmidan
to understand
اگرagar
if
Questions & Answers about اگر شرحی را بخوانی، شغل را میفهمی.
Wait, I thought râ was only for definite objects. Why does the indefinite word sharh-i (a description) have râ after it?
This is exactly how Farsi creates a 'specific indefinite' object! While -i means 'a/an' and râ usually marks definite objects, combining them as sharh-i râ means 'a certain description'. It shows the object is specific in the speaker's mind, even if it hasn't been clearly identified to the listener yet.
How does the second object, shoghl râ, contrast with sharh-i râ?
shoghl râ (the job) is a standard definite direct object. Because it lacks the -i ending, it refers to a specific job that both the speaker and listener already know about. Seeing them together perfectly highlights the difference between 'the job' (definite) and 'a certain description' (specific indefinite).
Why do the two verbs have different prefixes: be- in bekhâni and mi- in mifahmi?
They are in different moods because of the 'if' structure. The word agar (if) triggers the subjunctive mood for the condition, giving us the be- prefix in bekhâni (that you read). The result clause uses the regular present indicative with the mi- prefix (mifahmi) because it states what will actually happen if the condition is met.
The translation says 'you will understand', but mifahmi is present tense. Is that normal?
Yes! In Farsi, the present indicative is very commonly used to express future events. It is especially common in conditional sentences like this one to express an immediate or guaranteed consequence.