Question 1

Why does والدین end in "-eyn" and why does it take a plural verb?

Accepted Answer

والدین is an Arabic borrowing that uses the dual suffix ـین (-eyn), meaning exactly two (in this case, the mother and father). Even though it doesn't use a standard Farsi plural ending like ـها or ـان, Farsi treats these "lexicalized" dual nouns as regular plurals. That is why the verbs تمام نکردند and ادامه دادند both take the third-person plural ending ـند.

Question 2

Can I use اما (but) instead of بلکه here?

Accepted Answer

You would be understood, but بلکه is grammatically much stronger here. It translates closely to "but rather" or "instead." It is specifically used after a negative statement (like تمام نکردند, "did not end") to introduce a direct contradiction or alternative action. اما acts as just a general "but."

Question 3

Why is را used twice in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

It marks the definite direct object in both clauses. In the first clause, مجادله (the dispute) is the object of the compound verb تمام نکردند. In the second clause, آن (it) refers back to the dispute and is the object of the compound verb ادامه دادند.

Question 4

Could we drop آن را in the second half and just say بلکه ادامه دادند?

Accepted Answer

In casual, fast speech, you might hear it dropped because the context is obvious. However, in standard Farsi, ادامه دادن is a transitive verb that expects an object. Keeping آن را (it + direct object marker) sounds much better and creates a natural, parallel structure with the first half of the sentence.

والدین مجادله را تمام نکردند، بلکه آن را ادامه دادند.

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