Learn Farsi: ای کاش یک بدلکار پشتیبان برای این فیلم‌برداری داشتیم. - I wish we had a backup stunt double for this filming.

This lesson is about using the present subjunctive for things that might happen. Why is the verb داشتیم in the past tense here instead of the subjunctive?

Because ای کاش (ey kâsh) expresses an unreal wish or regret about the present, rather than a real possibility. Just like in English ('I wish we had'), Farsi uses the past tense داشتیم (we had) for unreal present wishes. If this were a real possibility (e.g., 'Perhaps we have a backup'), you would use شاید (shâyad) with the present subjunctive instead.

Is it okay to just say کاش (kâsh) without the ای (ey)?

Absolutely. ای (ey) is an exclamation similar to 'Oh!' in English. While ای کاش translates closely to 'Oh, if only...', in everyday conversation Iranians very frequently drop the ای and simply use کاش. Both are completely correct here.

How does the word بدلکار (badalkâr) break down to mean 'stunt double'?

It is made up of بدل (badal), which means 'substitute', 'fake', or 'replica', and the suffix کار (-kâr), which denotes a person who does that type of work. So, a بدلکار is literally a 'substitute worker'—a stunt double!

Do I need an ezafe to connect 'stunt double' and 'backup'?

Yes, you need an ezafe (the invisible 'e' sound) to link the noun to its adjective: بدلکارِ پشتیبان (badalkâr-e poshtibân). پشتیبان (poshtibân) means 'supporter' or 'backup'.