Breakdown of ممکن بود این سر و صدا باعث یک آبروریزی بزرگ بشود.
این
this
بودنbudan
to be
بزرگbozorg
big / large
یکyek
one / a, an
ممکنmomken
possible
باعث شدنbâ'es shodan
to cause
سر و صداsar o sedâ
noise (general)
آبروریزیâberurizi
scandal / disgrace (loss of face)
Questions & Answers about ممکن بود این سر و صدا باعث یک آبروریزی بزرگ بشود.
This lesson covers انگار and گویا (as if/it seems). Could we use one of those here instead of ممکن بود?
Not without changing the meaning. انگار and گویا express an assumption about a situation ('It seems this noise caused...'). ممکن بود expresses a theoretical possibility or near-miss in the past ('This noise might have caused...'). While all these expressions deal with uncertainty and often trigger the subjunctive, ممکن بود is specifically needed here to show that the scandal was a possibility that didn't actually happen.
Why is the present subjunctive بشود used when the sentence translates to the past tense 'might have caused'?
To express a past possibility ('might have' or 'could have') in Farsi, you use the past tense of the modal phrase, here ممکن بود (it was possible), followed by the present subjunctive of the main verb, بشود. Even though the overall event is in the past, the subjunctive stays in the present form because at that specific past moment, the scandal was a potential future outcome.
The phrase for 'cause' is broken up into باعث and بشود. How do they connect to the rest of the sentence?
The compound verb is باعث شدن (to cause). The word باعث takes an Ezafe to connect to the thing being caused. Here, because of the indefinite article یک (a), the Ezafe attaches directly to باعث, creating the structure: باعثِ یک آبروریزیِ بزرگ (bā'es-e yek āberurizi-e bozorg). The verbal part of the compound, بشود, then goes to the very end of the clause.
What is the literal meaning of آبروریزی (scandal)?
It literally translates to 'the spilling of one's honor.' It combines آبرو (honor or reputation, which itself literally means 'water of the face') with ریزی (pouring or spilling, from the verb ریختن). Losing face in Farsi is quite literally spilling the water of your face!
Is سر و صدا a fixed phrase for 'noise'?
Yes, it is a very common compound noun for 'noise,' 'racket,' or 'commotion.' While صدا means 'sound' or 'voice,' adding سر و (literally 'head and') emphasizes a chaotic, loud, or bothersome disturbance rather than just a simple sound.
Learn ممکن بود این سر و صدا باعث یک آبروریزی بزرگ بشود and more in Farsi
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free