Breakdown of مگر او به عملگرایی اعتقاد ندارد؟
او
he/she
بهbe
to
داشتنdâshtan
to have
مگرmagar
surely / really (rhetorical question particle)
اعتقادe'teqâd
conviction / belief
عملگراییamal-gerâyi
pragmatism
Questions & Answers about مگر او به عملگرایی اعتقاد ندارد؟
How does the suffix -garâyi change the meaning of عمل in this sentence?
The noun عمل means "action" or "practice." Adding the suffix -garâyi creates the abstract noun عملگرایی, meaning "pragmatism." In Farsi, -garâyi is the standard suffix used to express ideologies, philosophical tendencies, or "-isms."
Could we use the suffix -gari here instead and say عملگری?
No. While both suffixes create abstract nouns, -garâyi specifically forms words for ideologies or belief systems (like pragmatism). The suffix -gari generally refers to a profession, trait, or ongoing behavior, rather than a philosophical stance.
Why is the preposition به (to) used here when the English translation says "believe in"?
In Farsi, the compound verb اعتقاد داشتن (to have belief) always pairs with the preposition به. You literally say that someone "has belief to" a concept or person, rather than "in" it.
I learned that مگر means "unless." Why is it at the beginning of this sentence?
When مگر is placed at the beginning of a negative question, it doesn't mean "unless." Instead, it acts as a marker of surprise or expectation. It translates nicely to "Wait, doesn't he...?" or "Isn't it true that...?", showing that the speaker originally assumed he did believe in pragmatism.
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