Question 1

Why are we using the plural pronoun ishân and the plural verb hastand if the translation says "he is"?

Accepted Answer

This relates directly to the deferential address you are learning. To show respect to a third person (like a boss, a teacher, or an elder), Farsi uses the 3rd-person plural pronoun ishân and the matching plural verb hastand, even though you are only talking about one single person.

Question 2

I know goftan means "to say." Why does this sentence use arz konam instead?

Accepted Answer

Arz kardan is a humble, polite substitute for goftan. In formal Farsi, you use "self-lowering" verbs for your own actions to show deference to the listener. You use arz kardan when you are speaking to someone you respect, but you would never use it to describe their speaking.

Question 3

Why is the verb mi-khâstam in the past continuous tense ("I was wanting") rather than the present tense mi-khâham ("I want")?

Accepted Answer

Just like in English, shifting a statement into the past continuous softens it and makes it sound less direct. Saying mi-khâstam ("I was wanting to" or "I was going to") is a common politeness strategy that sounds much more respectful than the blunt mi-khâham ("I want to").

Question 4

Since mi-khâstam is in the past tense, why is the second verb arz konam in the present subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

In Farsi, verbs that express intention or desire (like khâstan) require the following verb to be in the subjunctive mood. Even though the "wanting" is in the past tense (mi-khâstam), the action you wanted to do always takes the present subjunctive form (arz konam).

می‌خواستم عرض کنم که ایشان بیمار هستند.

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