Breakdown of ما ماشینآلات را فرستاده بودیم، و آنان در حال شروع کردن پروژه بودند.
ما
we
و
and
آنانânân
those people
پروژهporozhe
project
بودنbudan
to be
شروع کردنshoru' kardan
to start
راrâ
definite direct object marker
فرستادنferestâdan
to send
در حالdar hâl-e
in the process of / currently
ماشینآلاتmâshin-âlât
machinery
Questions & Answers about ما ماشینآلات را فرستاده بودیم، و آنان در حال شروع کردن پروژه بودند.
How does the formal progressive structure work with a compound verb like شروع کردن in this sentence?
The phrase در حال (in the state of) is followed by an Ezafe, and then the full infinitive of the verb, which in this case is the compound شروع کردن (to start). The tense is indicated entirely by the final auxiliary verb بودند (they were). Unlike the colloquial past progressive, the main verb here doesn't get conjugated at all.
How is the object پروژه connected to the verbal noun شروع کردن?
Because the infinitive شروع کردن is acting as a noun (a gerund) in this formal structure, it connects to its object using an Ezafe. You pronounce it as شروع کردنِ پروژه (shoru' kardan-e prozheh), which functions like saying 'the starting of the project'.
What kind of plural is ماشینآلات?
The suffix ـات (-ât) is originally an Arabic plural marker. In Farsi, it is frequently attached to nouns, even non-Arabic loanwords like the French-derived ماشین, to form a collective plural. Here, it creates the meaning of 'machinery' or 'equipment' rather than just individual 'machines'.
Why is the verb فرستاده بودیم used here instead of the simple past فرستادیم?
The verb فرستاده بودیم is in the past perfect tense (we had sent). It is used here to emphasize that the machinery was sent and that specific action was completely finished before the second past action (them being in the process of starting the project) took place.
Why does the sentence use آنان instead of the more common آنها?
The word آنان means 'they', but it belongs to a higher, more formal and literary register than آنها. Its use here perfectly matches the formal, written tone set by the در حال progressive structure.
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