Breakdown of تا جایی که یادم است، او قبل از جلسه اینجا نبود.
است
is
او
he/she
اینجاinjâ
here
بودنbudan
to be
جلسهjalase
meeting
کهke
that (conjunction)
قبل ازqabl az
before
تاtâ
until
یادyâd
memory (remembrance)
جاjâ
place
تا جایی کهtâ jâyi ke
as far as, to the extent that
Questions & Answers about تا جایی که یادم است، او قبل از جلسه اینجا نبود.
Why does tâ jâyi ke (as far as) take the indicative verb ast here instead of the subjunctive?
Phrases like tâ jâyi ke express a boundary or limitation based on a reality, not a hypothetical wish, doubt, or obligation. Because you are stating a factual limit to your current memory, you use the indicative ast (is) rather than the subjunctive.
How exactly does the phrase yâdam ast mean "I remember"?
Instead of using a typical action verb for "remember", Farsi frequently uses the noun yâd (memory) combined with a possessive ending and the verb "to be". Here, yâd + am (my) + ast (is) literally translates to "my memory is".
Can I use an action verb instead of ast to say "as far as I remember"?
Yes, a very common conversational alternative is تا جایی که یادم میآید (tâ jâyi ke yâdam miyâd). This uses the present form of "to come" (آمدن). It literally means "as far as it comes to my memory", and it functions exactly the same way as the phrase in this sentence.
Could we drop the pronoun او (he) in the second half of the sentence?
Absolutely. You could just say قبل از جلسه اینجا نبود. Because the verb نبود (was not) already indicates the third-person singular form, it is grammatically complete. Including او simply adds a little bit of emphasis or clarity about who you are talking about.
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