# Persian: زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی



## Daffodil100

Hi

I learned "az" means "from" , but I don't understand why "az" is applied in this context.

زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .


Does it mean "of"? One of ancient languages?

Thank you!


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## Faylasoof

Daffodil100 said:


> Hi
> 
> I learned "az" means "from" , but I don't understand why "az" is applied in this context.
> 
> زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .
> 
> 
> Does it mean "of"? One of ancient languages?
> 
> Thank you!


 Persian is from (one of) the ancient languages and has an old history.


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## Daffodil100

Thank you very much for your reply. I am not sure I understand the usage of az.

*az + plural nouns + ast = is one of ...?

*Is the following sentence I made correct?

او از دختران قشنگ در کلاس من است 

She is one of beautiful girls in my class.


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## sb70012

She is *one* *of* beautiful girls in my class.

او *یکی* *از* دختران خوشگل (قشنگ) کلاس من است

*Az (از) = Of - From - than
*
تهران *از* لندن دور است = Tehran is far *from* London.

جنیفر *از *سارا قد بلندتر است = Jennifer is taller *than* Sarah.

او *یکی* *از* دوستان من است = He is *one* *of* my friends.

*Az (از)* + *Singular noun/Plural noun* + *rest of the sentence*


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## Daffodil100

Thank you very much.

Could you explain why the following sentence is without yek?

زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .


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## Qureshpor

Daffodil100 said:


> Thank you very much.
> 
> Could you explain why the following sentence is without yek?
> 
> زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .


Here, in my view, it does n't mean that "Persian is one of the ancient languages and has an old history" but..

Persian is among the ancient languages and it has an old history.


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## Aryamp

Daffodil100 said:
			
		

> Could you explain why the following sentence is without yek?
> 
> زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .




Because to be precise از in that sentence simply means "of"  and not "one of" = یکی از

Here's some examples of how that "of" works in English, to simply mean something belongs to a bigger group or category : 

He was of the group named “The Newly Weds, the Over-feds & Almost Deads.” “I’m of the latter category,” he said, smiling. “I’ve been preparing for three months a couple miles every other day. I’ll have no problem hanging in there.” 
From : http://www.syvjournal.com/archive/8/19/6398/

Despite MacArthur's assertions after the war that he was of the group of general officers that "led the troops by example" and not the "mere administrators,"  
From : http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jmh/summary/v073/73.3.votaw.html


In the examples above when translating to Persian we can simply use از in place of_ "of" :
He was of the group named ....
او از گروهی به نام....بود_


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## Daffodil100

Qureshpor said:


> Here, in my view, it does n't mean that "Persian is one of the ancient languages and has an old history" but..
> 
> Persian is among the ancient languages and it has an old history.



I would translate it as :

Persian is an old language with long history. This seems to me it would be more flowing and natural. 

I understand the meaning generally.


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## Daffodil100

Aryamp, Thank you very much for the elucidation. I am very clear about the usage of it now


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## sb70012

Daffodil100 said:


> Thank you very much.
> 
> Could you explain why the following sentence is without yek?
> 
> زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است .



My friend,

It's (Yek یک) something optional. You can either use or omit it in your sentence.
زبان فارسی* یکی *از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است
زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است

Both are correct.

یکی از = one of


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## Daffodil100

sb70012 said:


> My friend,
> 
> It's (Yek یک) something optional. You can either use or omit it in your sentence.
> زبان فارسی* یکی *از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است
> زبان فارسی از زبانهای باستانی و دارای تاریخ دیرینه است
> 
> Both are correct.



Thank you very much! I see.


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## sb70012

You are always welcome dear Daffodil100

Good Luck


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## Qureshpor

Daffodil100 said:


> I would translate it as :
> 
> Persian is an old language with long history. This seems to me it would be more flowing and natural.
> I understand the meaning generally.


Whether it is more natural and flows better is a matter of opinion. The important thing is that it does not translate back to your original sentence.


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## Qureshpor

^ I thought you wanted to know the significance of "az" in the original sentence. In "Persian is an old language with [a] long history" where does "az" fit in?


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## Daffodil100

Qureshpor said:


> ^ I thought you wanted to know the significance of "az" in the original sentence. In "Persian is an old language with [a] long history" where does "az" fit in?



My bad. I hadn't clarified myself clearly. My purpose is learn how to apply "az" to Persian, instead of translation. My goal of learning Persian is not to be a translator in the future. I hope my Persian will be as close as native speakers if possible. However, I was lost about the usage of it in Persian.


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## sb70012

Daffodil, I appreciate your learning. You are progressing.

Good for you and keep going.


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## Qureshpor

Daffodil100 said:


> My bad. I hadn't clarified myself clearly. My purpose is learn how to apply "az" to Persian, instead of translation. My goal of learning Persian is not to be a translator in the future. I hope my Persian will be as close as native speakers if possible. However, I was lost about the usage of it in Persian.


Sure, I understand this. But in order to explain the usage of something, one has to resort to another language, in this case English. And in English to the best of my knowledge and understanding, "az" in the sentence you have quoted equates to "among". What I wrote was not a word for word translation but an idiomatic translation. Literal translation would be:

The Persian language [is] among the ancient languages and is a possessor of an old history.

Your goal is an enviable one. But, living in the midst of natives will allow you to fulfill this aim much more easily.


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## Daffodil100

sb70012 said:


> Daffodil, I appreciate your learning. You are progressing.
> 
> Good for you and keep going.



Thank you for your encouragement. Without help for you all, I cannot make it.


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## Daffodil100

Thank you for your comment, Qureshpor. 

I see your point. Have a good one.


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## Faylasoof

Just to clarify, my rendering into English (post#2) of the Persian expression was to show the word relationships between the original and the translation. This is not how we would say it in idiomatic English of course. It would either be as QP SaaHib has in post#17 or a variation thus:
Persian is _amongst_ ancient languages and has a very old history.


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## Qureshpor

^ Perhaps you meant post #6?


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