The اضافه Construction

The اضافه (Ezâfe) Construction is used to connect two or more words through an unstressed -e (ِ ). This -e, called اضافه, is normally not represented in writing, unless one wishes to avoid misunderstandings. If the word ends in a vowel, the glide ی is inserted:


 * شهر بزرگ تهران : The big city Tehran
 * خانهٔ من / خانه ی من : My house
 * هوای انگلستان : The weather in England
 * کتاب درسی ما : Our teaching book

a) The sign above the final ه in the second example is a hamze (ء) used instead of a ی. The spelling خانه ی من is less common.

b) In the last example, the consistent form کتاب درسی ی ما is replaced by a simplified spelling.

The اضافه Construction has varying functions. It refers to attributive relations of every kind. As such, it covers the attributive adjective and the possessive as well. The attribute always stands after the noun.