Breakdown of چمدان خود را تا حد امکان کوچک انتخاب کنید؛ حداکثر نیم متر است.
است
is
کوچکkuchak
small
چمدانchamadân
suitcase
نیمnim
half
Questions & Answers about چمدان خود را تا حد امکان کوچک انتخاب کنید؛ حداکثر نیم متر است.
How does the phrase تا حد امکان work with the adjective کوچک in this sentence?
The phrase تا حد امکان literally translates to 'up to the limit of possibility.' When you want to say 'as [adjective] as possible,' you simply place this expression right before the adjective. Here, pairing it gives us تا حد امکان کوچک which means 'as small as possible.'
Why is the object marker را placed before تا حد امکان کوچک? Shouldn't it go after the whole description?
را only marks the specific direct object noun phrase, which is just چمدان خود (your suitcase). The phrase تا حد امکان کوچک describes how the suitcase should be chosen; it modifies the verb انتخاب کنید (choose) rather than acting as a direct adjective physically attached to the suitcase noun. Therefore, را closes the noun phrase before the modifier begins.
Both halves of the sentence use a word containing حد (تا حد امکان and حداکثر). Are they related?
Yes! The word حد (hadd) means 'limit' or 'boundary.' In the first half, تا حد امکان means 'up to the limit of possibility.' In the second half, حداکثر (hadd-e aksar) combines حد with the Arabic-derived superlative اکثر (most/greatest) to mean 'the greatest limit,' which we translate as 'maximum.'
Why does the sentence use چمدان خود for 'your suitcase' instead of adding the suffix and saying ?