Breakdown of تهیه کردن تسلیحات بر عهدهی آهنگر است.
بودنbudan
to be
تهیه کردنtahiyye kardan
to prepare / to get / to provide (to procure)
آهنگرâhangar
blacksmith
تسلیحاتtaslihât
Questions & Answers about تهیه کردن تسلیحات بر عهدهی آهنگر است.
How exactly does the phrase بر عهدهی آهنگر است translate to "is the blacksmith's responsibility"?
In Farsi, expressing that a task is someone's duty is commonly done with the phrase بر عهدهی (bar ohde-ye) or به عهدهی (be ohde-ye), followed by the person and a copula verb like است (ast). Literally, it translates to "is upon the responsibility of the blacksmith". As you are learning in this lesson, both بر and به are practically interchangeable in this structure.
How is the compound verb تهیه کردن acting as the subject here, and how does it connect to تسلیحات?
Here, the infinitive تهیه کردن (to prepare) is acting as a verbal noun or gerund, meaning "preparing". To link it to its direct object, "the armaments", you must use an Ezafe. So it is pronounced تهیه کردنِ تسلیحات (tahiye kardan-e taslihat). Although the Ezafe is not written out, it is essential for connecting the action to the thing being prepared.
The word تسلیحات (taslihat) ends in what looks like an Arabic plural suffix. What is the singular form?
You spotted it! The -ات (-at) suffix is an Arabic plural marker used here to mean "armaments" or "munitions". The singular form is سلاح (selah), which means "weapon" or "arm".
Can I switch the order and put بر عهدهی آهنگر است at the beginning of the sentence?
While Farsi word order is flexible, placing the subject تهیه کردن تسلیحات first is the most standard and natural structure. Saying بر عهدهی آهنگر است تهیه کردن تسلیحات is grammatically possible but sounds very poetic or overly dramatic, closer to "Upon the blacksmith's shoulders lies the preparing of armaments."