Breakdown of محققان در آستانهی پیدا کردن داروی سرطان هستند.
بودنbudan
to be
درdar
in
پیدا کردنpeydâ kardan
to find / to get / to develop (a condition)
داروdâru
medicine
Questions & Answers about محققان در آستانهی پیدا کردن داروی سرطان هستند.
How is the verb پیدا کردن (to find) fitting into the در آستانهی structure here?
The phrase در آستانهی acts like a preposition that expects a noun. To make a verb act like a noun, we use its long infinitive form (پیدا کردن), which functions as a gerund (like the English -ing form). They connect via an Ezafe: dar âstâne-ye peydâ kardan.
Are there multiple Ezafes chaining together after در آستانهی?
Yes, there is a chain of three! First, آستانه connects to the infinitive: dar âstâne-ye peydâ kardan. Next, the infinitive takes an Ezafe to connect to its object: peydâ kardan-e dâru. Finally, medicine connects to cancer: dâru-ye sartân. Remember that long infinitives almost always take an Ezafe before their direct object.
Could I use the lesson's other phrase, در شرف, instead of در آستانهی here?
Yes, در شرف پیدا کردن is grammatically identical and means exactly the same thing. However, در آستانهی literally means 'on the threshold of', which carries a slightly more monumental or grand tone—perfect for a major scientific breakthrough like a cancer cure.
I know دارو means medicine. Is it the standard word for a cure?
It literally translates to medicine or drug, so داروی سرطان is 'cancer medicine'. This is a very natural and common way to refer to a cure for cancer in Farsi. If you wanted to explicitly say treatment or cure as an abstract concept rather than a physical drug, you would use ().