Learn Farsi: علی‌رغم سگ ترسناک، پستچی فرار نکرد. - Despite the scary dog, the mail carrier did not escape.

The formal preposition علی‌رغم requires an ezafe to connect to the noun that follows it. You pronounce it as علی‌رغمِ (alâ-raghm-e). Because the phrase scary dog is a noun-adjective pair, it also requires an ezafe, creating the chain: علی‌رغمِ سگِ ترسناک (alâ-raghm-e sag-e tarsnâk).

What is the function of the suffix in the word پستچی?

The suffix ـچی (-chi) is a common ending used to indicate a profession or someone who handles a specific thing. Added to the noun پست (mail), it creates پستچی (mail carrier). You will also see this pattern in words like تماشاچی (spectator) or معدنچی (miner).

How is the adjective ترسناک formed?

It is formed by combining the noun ترس (fear) with the suffix ـناک (-nâk), which means causing or full of. Therefore, ترسناک literally means causing fear or scary. Another common word using this suffix is خطرناک (dangerous).

The English translation uses the word the for both the dog and the mail carrier. Why are there no definite articles in the Farsi sentence?

Farsi does not have a direct equivalent to the English definite article the. A noun is generally understood to be definite based on context unless it is explicitly marked with an indefinite article, such as the suffix ـی (-i). Because neither سگ ترسناک nor پستچی take indefinite markers here, they translate naturally as specific, definite nouns.