The Persian ezafe
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Although the word اضاÙ?Ù‡ [ezâfe] itself is imported from Arabic إضاÙ?Ø© [iḑÄ?fah], the Persian construction is actually much more general and, in some ways, more powerful, even if some of its uses overlap with Arabic uses. Basically, the اضاÙ?Ù‡ construction is composed of two or more words related to each other in either a possessor/possessed relationship, or in a qualification relationship. In its simple form, the اضاÙ?Ù‡ is caracterised by the tagging of a short e to all but the last words that constitute the construction (which, in full voweled spelling, would be represented by a zir).
| ماشین امیر | mâšine Amir | Amir's car |
| ماشین شرخ | mâšine sorx | (the) red car |
In spelling, when the اضاÙ?Ù‡ construction is used with a noun ending in alef or vâv, an ye is added; in full voweled spelling, it is this ye that carries the zir. Orally, this situation is represented by the insertion of an [j] between the final vowel of the word and the اضاÙ?Ù‡ e:
| هتل‌های بزرگ | hotelhâye bozorg | (the) big hotels |
| پتوی گران | patuye gerân | (the) expensive blanket |
If the word ends in ـه (short e followed by a mute he), though, a superscript hamze is added:
| خانهٔ زن | xâneye zan | the woman's house |
This superscript hamze seems to be getting replaced by a ye lately, especially in electronic media, but still is given by most grammar books as being the correct spelling.
If the word ends in a pronounced he, though, it follows the general rule:
| در کوتاه هتل | dare kutâhe hotel | (the) short door of the hotel |
The اضاÙ?Ù‡ is used in all but the last word even in long construction chains:
| چراغ بزرگ خانهٔ دکتر | Cerâqe bozorge xâneye doktor | the large lamp of the doctor's house |
Besides showing possession and qualification, the اضاÙ?Ù‡ has other usages, among which the most common are:
1. relating the first and the family names of an Iranian:
| شبنم جوادی | Šabname Javâdi | Shabnam Javadi |
2. relating a non-professional title to the family name of an Iranian:
| Ø¢Ù?ای جوادی | Âqâye Javâdi | Mr. Javadi |
The اضاÙ?Ù‡ construction is not used with:
1. demonstrative adjectives:
| آن درختان | ân daraxtân | those trees |
2. numbers and classifiers:
| یک کتاب | yek ketâb | one book |
| هبت تا میز | haft tâ miz | seven tables |
3. superlative adjectives:
| خوشÙ?یاÙ?ه‌ترین پسر | xoÅ¡qiyafetarin pesar | the most handsome boy |
