Learn Farsi: روی صورت او یک خال بود، مانند یک ستاره‌ی سیاه. - There was a mole on his face, like a black star.

روی صورت او یک خال بود، مانند یک ستاره‌ی سیاه.ru-ye surat-e u yek khâl bud, mânand yek setâre-ye siyâh.

There was a mole on his face, like a black star.

Breakdown of روی صورت او یک خال بود، مانند یک ستاره‌ی سیاه.

Questions & Answers about روی صورت او یک خال بود، مانند یک ستاره‌ی سیاه.

What is the difference between using mânand-e here instead of mesl-e?

Both mean "like" or "similar to" and are often used interchangeably. However, mânand-e sounds slightly more literary, formal, or poetic than mesl-e, which is the go-to word in everyday spoken Farsi. Since this sentence has a somewhat poetic feel ("like a black star"), mânand-e fits perfectly.

Why does mânand-e yek setâre-ye siyâh come after the verb bud? I thought verbs always go at the very end.

While Farsi is generally a Subject-Object-Verb language, descriptive additions like similes or prepositional phrases are sometimes placed after the verb. This is done for emphasis, to improve the poetic flow of the sentence, or as an afterthought. It breaks the strict textbook rule but is very natural and common in both speech and writing.

Why is there a -ye (ی) added to setâre (star) in setâre-ye siyâh?

This is a quick refresher on the Ezafe (the invisible connector between nouns and adjectives). Because setâre ends in a silent "h" (which makes an "e" sound), we need to insert a "y" sound to smoothly connect it to the adjective siyâh (black). In writing, this is shown by adding the letter ی (or sometimes a small symbol above the silent h).

How do the words in ruy-e surat-e u link together grammatically?

This phrase uses a chain of Ezafe connectors. ruy means "face" or "surface", but when used with an Ezafe as , it acts as the preposition "on". It links to (face), which then links via another Ezafe to the pronoun (him/her). Literally, it translates to "on [the] face of him".