Breakdown of تکبر او دوستانش را اذیت میکند.
او
he/she
دوستdust
friend
راrâ
definite direct object marker
اذیت کردنaziyat kardan
to bother / to annoy
تکبرtakabbor
arrogance
Questions & Answers about تکبر او دوستانش را اذیت میکند.
How does the word takabbor (تکبر) fit the ta-C1-a-C2-C2-o-C3 pattern, and what does its root mean?
Takabbor comes from the Arabic root k-b-r (meaning big or great, as seen in words like kabir or akbar). Plugging those consonants into the Form V pattern gives us ta-k-a-b-b-o-r. Because this pattern often implies assuming a state or adopting a behavior, the literal meaning here is assuming greatness or acting big, which gives us the Farsi word for arrogance or pride.
The sentence uses u (او) for his arrogance but the suffix -ash (ش) for his friends. Why not use the same form for both?
You grammatically could say takabbor-ash dustān-ash rā... or takabbor-e u dustān-e u rā..., but mixing the independent pronoun (u) and the possessive suffix (-ash) sounds much more natural and elegant. It avoids repetitive, clunky sounds while still clearly showing that both belong to the same person.
Since his friends belong to the subject of the sentence, shouldn't we use the reflexive pronoun khod (خود)?
You could definitely use the reflexive here by saying dustān-e khod rā (his own friends). However, Farsi is less strict about requiring reflexive pronouns than some other languages. Using the simple possessive suffix -ash is perfectly normal here, and native speakers will naturally understand that it refers back to the same person.
What is the exact scope of the compound verb aziyyat kardan (اذیت کردن)?
Aziyyat kardan is a very versatile verb. While it commonly translates to bother or annoy (like his arrogance bothering his friends here), it scales all the way up to torment, harass, or hurt. The exact severity depends on the context, but it is the go-to everyday verb for causing someone mental, emotional, or minor physical discomfort.
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