Learn Farsi: خیابان تاریک بود و نزدیک بود که یک عابر پیاده را زیر بگیرم. - The street was dark and I almost ran over a pedestrian.

خیابان تاریک بود و نزدیک بود که یک عابر پیاده را زیر بگیرم.khiyâbân târik bud va nazdik bud ke yek âber piyâde râ zir begiram.

The street was dark and I almost ran over a pedestrian.

Breakdown of خیابان تاریک بود و نزدیک بود که یک عابر پیاده را زیر بگیرم.

Questions & Answers about خیابان تاریک بود و نزدیک بود که یک عابر پیاده را زیر بگیرم.

Why is the verb زیر بگیرم in the present subjunctive if the sentence is about something that almost happened in the past?

The phrase نزدیک بود که (it was close that) establishes the past timeframe. However, the action that almost happened is viewed as a hypothetical or potential event. Farsi requires the present subjunctive for these dependent, unrealized actions, regardless of the main verb's tense.

What is the infinitive for 'to run over' used here, and what does it literally mean?

The infinitive is زیر گرفتن (zir gereftan). Literally, it translates to 'to take under'. It is the standard compound verb used for running someone or something over with a vehicle.

Why is the direct object marker را used after یک عابر پیاده (a pedestrian)? Doesn't یک make it indefinite?

While را typically marks definite objects, you will often see یک ... را when referring to a specific but unnamed instance of something (meaning 'a certain pedestrian'). Here, it also serves to clearly highlight the pedestrian as the direct receiver of the action.

Can I drop the word که in the phrase نزدیک بود که?

Yes, in conversational Farsi, the conjunction که (that) is frequently omitted. You will very often hear نزدیک بود یک عابر پیاده را زیر بگیرم without changing the meaning at all.