Learn Farsi: مردم با اشتیاق در انتخابات رای دادند. - The people voted in the election with enthusiasm.

The base word is entekhâb (choice or selection). It uses the e-C1-t-e-C2-â-C3 pattern on the Arabic root n-kh-b (to extract or select), with the 't' inserted after the first root letter 'n'. The -ât at the end is an Arabic plural suffix, making entekhâbât literally mean 'selections' or 'elections'.

Is eshtiyâgh (enthusiasm) also a Form VIII noun from this lesson?

Yes, it is! It comes from the root sh-w-q (related to desire or yearning). Because the middle root letter is a 'weak' letter (w), the pattern shifts slightly to make it easier to pronounce, turning into eshtiyâgh instead of eshtewâgh. The Form VIII structure gives it the abstract, resulting meaning of 'enthusiasm' or 'eagerness'.

Why is the verb dâdand plural when the subject mardom (people) doesn't have a plural suffix?

Even though mardom does not have a Farsi plural suffix like -hâ, it is a collective noun referring to human beings. In Farsi, human collective nouns almost always take a plural verb. This is just like English, where we say 'the people vote' instead of 'the people votes'.

What is the literal makeup of the compound verb rây dâdand?

It literally translates to 'they gave a vote'. The noun rây means 'vote', 'opinion', or 'verdict', and it is paired with the past-tense plural form of the helper verb dâdan (to give).