Breakdown of مار خزنده گوشتخوار است و انفرادی زندگی میکند.
است
is
و
and
زندگی کردنzendegi kardan
to live
مارmâr
snake
Questions & Answers about مار خزنده گوشتخوار است و انفرادی زندگی میکند.
Why does this sentence use the singular مار and singular verbs (است and زندگی میکند) when talking about snakes in general?
This is a classic example of generic reference. In Farsi, you can represent an entire species or universal category by using a bare singular noun (no plural markers, no definite or indefinite articles). Because the noun is singular, the verbs that follow it must also be in the singular form.
Is there an Ezafe connecting خزنده (reptile) and گوشتخوار (carnivorous)?
Yes. Because گوشتخوار is an adjective describing the noun خزنده, they are linked by an Ezafe. Since خزنده ends in a silent 'eh' (the letter ه), the Ezafe takes the pronunciation of '-ye', making the phrase خزندهی گوشتخوار (khazandeh-ye gusht-khâr).
How is the word گوشتخوار (carnivorous) constructed?
It is a compound word made of گوشت (meat) and خوار (eater). The second part, خوار, is the present stem of the verb خوردن (to eat). You will see this same structure in other diet-related words, such as گیاهخوار (herbivore or plant-eater).
انفرادی translates here as the adverb 'solitarily', but isn't it usually an adjective meaning 'solitary'?
Yes, it is originally an adjective. However, in Farsi, adjectives can frequently function directly as adverbs of manner when placed immediately before the verb. It does not need an extra suffix like '-ly' in English to modify the verb .